Imphal: Manipur High Court is examining a plea to quash the Manipur Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointments, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2012.

Social worker R.K. Joysana Singh filed a PIL challenging the appointment of 12 parliamentary secretaries by chief minister N. Biren Singh in March.

In his petition filed on May 9, Imphal resident Joysana Singh questioned the "constitutional validity" of the 2012 act under which the parliamentary secretaries were appointed. He sought an interim stay order on the appointments.

The high court issued a notice on May 20 to the state government and the 12 parliamentary secretaries.

Responding to the notice, junior government advocate P. Tamphamani informed the court on November 15 that the chief minister discontinued the appointments of all the 12 parliamentary secretaries in two separate orders issued by chief secretary R.R. Rashmi on July 17 and October 25.

While informing about discontinuation of the appointments of the parliamentary secretaries, the state government pleaded before the court that as the appointments were discontinued, "the present PIL becomes infructuous and the same is liable to be closed."

Reacting to the plea for closure of the case the petitioner through his lawyer M. Hemchandra on November 15 pleaded before a double bench of the court of Chief Justice Rakesh Ranjan Prasad and Justice N. Kotiswar not to close the case.

The petitioner prayed for quashing of the act arguing that it is "unconstitutional".

"The high court is now examining my plea for quashing of the act. The high court sought some time to look into the prayer," Joysana Singh told reporters on Monday.

Citing a Supreme Court ruling passed on July 26, which declared the Assam Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointments, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act "unconstitutional" Joysana Singh said the Manipur act is also unconstitutional in the light of the apex court's ruling.