Kataka: The Orissa High Court today dismissed a PIL challenging the constitutional validity of the appointment of Odisha’s two Deputy Chief Ministers, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, bringing the matter to a close.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Chittaranjan Dash had concluded hearing the PIL and reserved its judgment on August 27, 2026. The court pronounced its verdict on Thursday, dismissing the petition.

While dismissing the PIL, the High Court relied on a Supreme Court judgment which held the designation of “Deputy Chief Minister” is merely descriptive and does not confer any additional constitutional powers or authority beyond those available to a member of the Council of Ministers.

The petitioners, K. Patra and Srinivas Mohanty, had challenged the appointment of the two Deputy Chief Ministers, arguing the designation placed them on a higher pedestal than other members of the Council of Ministers. They contended granting special privileges in protocol, precedence and powers was contrary to Articles 163 and 164 of the Constitution of India.

The High Court referred to the Supreme Court's ruling in K.M. Sharma vs Shri Devi Lal and Others, which held that a Deputy Chief Minister is essentially a member of the Council of Ministers and that the designation does not confer any additional powers equivalent to those of the Chief Minister.

The High Court observed that merely describing a person as a “Deputy Chief Minister” does not violate constitutional provisions, provided the substantive constitutional requirements are duly followed.

The court further noted the oath administered to a Deputy Chief Minister is not unconstitutional merely because of the designation. The nomenclature is only descriptive, while the substantive constitutional provisions governing the office remain unchanged.

With the court relying on the Supreme Court's interpretation of the status of Deputy Chief Ministers, the PIL challenging the appointments of Singh Deo and Parida was dismissed.