The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday set aside the appointment of Suresh Kumar as chief principal secretary to chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, ruling that he was holding the public office without authority.

Kumar, a 1983-batch retired IAS officer was appointed immediately after the Congress government took over reins in Punjab on March 16 last year. The post created for the first time in Punjab was stated to be equivalent to a cabinet secretary of government of India. Kumar is being paid Rs 2.5 lakh per month minus pension.

As carried in HT