Itanagar: Gauhati high court on Wednesday struck down a provision empowering Arunachal Pradesh’s urban local bodies minister to hear appeals in municipal defection cases, holding that it failed to ensure an independent and impartial forum.A division bench of Justices Kardak Ete and Budi Habung, in its August 18 judgement, upheld the chief secretary’s authority to hear such appeals. The ruling came on a petition by three Pasighat Municipal Council councillors challenging Section 6 of the Arunachal Pradesh Urban Local Bodies (Disqualification on Grounds of Defection) Act, 2014.The court said political executives could create a “reasonable apprehension” of institutional bias.
