Navjot Sidhu case: Does spicy comedy behove a minister, asks High Court

Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana High Court today did not accept the plea of the Punjab Advocate General who questioned the “maintainability” of a public interest litigation (PIL) against propriety of Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu appearing in a popular “spicy comedy” television series, “The Kapil Sharma Show”.
“Lakhs follow the example set by ministers, and their public conduct is watched. In such a situation, can a minister resort to a conduct that is not in consonance with dignity and status of a Cabinet Minister?” a Division Bench of Justices SS Saron and Darshan Singh asked the AG.
The observation came in response to a PIL by advocate HC Sharma, asking the Punjab Government “if it was appropriate for Tourism, Cultural Affairs and Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to appear in a TV show?”The court heard arguments for two hours before adjourning proceedings till August 2.
AG Atul Nanda said the PIL was not maintainable under the 2010 HC  guidelines. The AG said the code of conduct for ministers was not enforceable through courts. Unimpressed, the Bench observed that an issue of public importance had been raised.Petitioner Sharma said Sidhu was not only participating in “Kapil Sharma Show” but also appearing in an advertisement promoting a “magic machine” for learning spoken English.