Patna: Bihar Cabinet on Wednesday approved the nomination of Panchayati Raj Minister Deepak Prakash as a member of the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC), paving the way for him to continue in the state Cabinet. He is expected to take the oath on Thursday, with the Legislative Council Secretariat making preparations for the swearing-in ceremony.
The Cabinet’s recommendation has been forwarded to the Governor’s Secretariat after completion of the required government formalities.
Nomination Follows Vacancy In Legislative Council
The development follows the resignation of former BJP MLC Devesh Kumar, which created a vacancy in the Legislative Council.
Earlier this week, the Legislative Council Secretariat informed the Election Department about the vacant seat. Based on this, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer communicated to the Governor’s Secretariat that the vacancy should be filled through nomination.
Governor Syed Ata Hasnain subsequently nominated Deepak Prakash as a member of the Bihar Legislative Council. His term as an MLC will continue until March 16, 2027.
Supreme Court Had Sought Government’s Explanation
The nomination comes after the Supreme Court recently questioned how Deepak Prakash was continuing as Panchayati Raj Minister despite not being a member of either House of the Bihar Legislature.
The court sought an explanation from the state government on the matter. Following the development, the government facilitated the resignation of Devesh Kumar, creating a vacancy that enabled Deepak Prakash’s nomination to the Legislative Council.
Under constitutional provisions, a minister who is not a member of the legislature must secure membership within the prescribed period to continue in office.
Bihar Names Representatives To Eastern Zonal Council
In a separate decision, the Bihar government nominated Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Higher Education and Law Minister Sanjay Singh Tiger as the state’s representatives to the Eastern Zonal Council.
The state has also nominated the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary as advisers to the Council. The Special Branch of the Home Department issued a notification regarding the appointments on Wednesday.
The Eastern Zonal Council is an inter-state coordination body comprising Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand. It is chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and is intended to strengthen cooperation and coordination among the participating states.
