Post SC ruling, Delhi CM Kejriwal alleges Modi govt’s ‘illegal orders’ wasted ‘precious three years’
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being welcomed by government and staff at Delhi Secretariat, in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 04, 2018. (Source: AAP/Twitter via PTI) New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being welcomed by government and staff at Delhi Secretariat, in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 04, 2018. (Source: AAP/Twitter via PTI)
Stating that the Supreme Court’s Wednesday verdict reinforced people’s faith in the judiciary, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal mounted his attack on the Narendra Modi-led central government and alleged that precious three years would have been saved if the Centre had not withdrawn the powers of the elected government through “illegal orders”.
“If Modi govt had not withdrawn the powers of elected govt thro illegal orders, precious three years wud have been saved. People of Delhi are grateful to judiciary. Today’s order reinforces people’s faith in judiciary (sic),” CM Kejriwal tweeted after the apex court handed a major victory to AAP national convenor Kejriwal in his bitter power tussle with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal received a shot in the arm after the top court ruled that the LG has no independent power to take decisions and is bound by the elected government’s advice. “The Lieutenant Governor has not been entrusted with any independent decision­making power. He has to either act on the ‘aid and advice’ of Council of Ministers or he is bound to implement the decision taken by the President on a reference being made by him”, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court said in a unanimous ruling pronounced by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.
If Modi govt had not withdrawn the powers of elected govt thro illegal orders, precious three years wud have been saved. People of Delhi are grateful to judiciary. Today’s order reinforces people’s faith in judiciary — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 4, 2018
Soon after the SC ruling, Kejriwal called a meeting of all cabinet ministers at his residence to discuss critical projects and directed all functionaries of Delhi govt to function according to the order of the apex court. He said he has directed to expedite proposals of doorstep delivery of rations and CCTV. Follow LIVE
Later, addressing a press conference, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said orders have been issued to implement schemes like the doorstep delivery of ration and installation of CCTV camera immediately after the removal of “obstructions” that the LG was “imposing”.
READ | Decisions of Delhi govt will not require the concurrence of L-G, says Supreme Court
“The Modi government had introduced 2 points: that services was not with the state government and that LG will become the decision making authority. This rendered us less than half a state,” Sisodia said while explaining the challenges faced by his government. Sisodia also emphasised that the Delhi Assembly and Cabinet has powers over all subjects, except the three exempted: land, law and order, police.
While pronouncing the verdict, the court also observed that “there is no room for absolutism and there is no room for anarchism also” and said that the LG, who is appointed by the Centre, cannot act as an “obstructionist.”
The ruling comes as a big relief for the Kejriwal-led government, who had been at the constant tug of war with the LG over several issues. It also lays down for the first time clear guidelines for the LG’s conduct, and delineates the powers of the two branches of the executive in Delhi, which does not have the status of a full state yet elects its own MLAs and government.
On issues that the LG may differ with the government, the Judges said, “The difference of opinion between the Lieutenant Governor and the Council of Ministers should have a sound rationale and there should not be exposition of the phenomenon of an obstructionist but reflection of the philosophy of affirmative constructionism and profound sagacity and judiciousness”.
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