The Orissa High Court has upheld the appointment of Odisha’s Deputy Chief Ministers Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, dismissing a public interest litigation that challenged the constitutional validity of their designations.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Chittaranjan Dash delivered the verdict on Thursday, concluding the legal challenge after having reserved judgment on August 27, 2026. The judges determined that the title of Deputy Chief Minister serves an exclusively descriptive purpose and does not confer any constitutional power or authority beyond that held by any other member of the state’s Council of Ministers.
Supreme Court Precedent on Descriptive Designations
In reaching its conclusion, the High Court relied directly on legal precedent established by the Supreme Court of India in K.M. Sharma versus Shri Devi Lal and Others. That judgment affirmed that a deputy chief minister remains fundamentally an ordinary member of the cabinet and holds no authority equivalent to that of the chief minister.
The division bench observed that applying such a descriptive title does not run counter to constitutional provisions, provided all substantive constitutional requirements have been met. The court also clarified that administering the oath of office under this designation does not render the appointment unconstitutional, noting that while the nomenclature is descriptive, the substantive constitutional rules governing ministerial office remain unaltered.
Basis of the Petitioners’ Constitutional Challenge
The dismissed petition, filed by K. Patra and Srinivas Mohanty, contended that designating the two ministers as deputy chief ministers placed them on a higher standing than their cabinet colleagues. The petitioners argued that conferring preferential status in matters of precedence, protocol, and authority violated Articles 163 and 164 of the Constitution of India.
With the High Court applying the Supreme Court’s established position on ministerial nomenclature, the legal challenge against Singh Deo and Parida was closed.
