The rift between Delhi Government and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi seems nowhere to be ending. Delhi government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking clarification regarding the departments to be under the government’s control.
In a judgment announced by the Supreme Court of India on July 4, it was decided by the 5 judge Constitution Bench that “the decisions of the Council of Ministers must be communicated to the Lieutenant Governor but this does not mean the concurrence of the Lieutenant Governor is required”. This limited the role of the L-G giving more power to the ruling party in the administrative matters.
The administrative crisis between the Delhi government led by Aam Aadmi Party’s chief Arvind Kejriwal and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi has remained unresolved even after the Supreme Court’s judgment. The tussle between the two have been continuing since the previous L-G of Delhi Najeeb Jung was in charge.
Arvind Kejriwal has claimed that he is not given the space to work and make decisions freely. He accuses the Centre of influencing the decisions made by the L-G of Delhi. After the Supreme Court’s previous week’s judgment, L-G sustained control over three reserved subjects- land, police and public order. These three categories fall under his jurisdiction, while others come under the rule of the Government of Delhi.
AAP declared that decisions regarding issues such as services, which deals with the postings and transfers of officials within the government, are to be made by the government. Whereas the current L-G Anil Baijal has refused to let go of services and the fact that he is no longer responsible for the postings and transfers of the bureaucrats.
The L-G transferred three IAS officers and made some transfers in the education department. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia who is in charge of the education department called the transfers made by the L-G as “bossing around”. He commented,”LG has kept the services department with him arbitrarily and is bossing around. He should have consulted us before appointing the education director. Delhi government is spending 26 percent of its budget on education and we are not even consulted on the issue”.
The tug of war continues making it seem like ‘Game of Thrones’ between the two. Supreme Court will address the petition next week.