New Delhi: Delhi government on Thursday requested the Supreme Court for early pronouncement of judgement on the pleas against the notifications on control over services, setting up of Commission of Inquiry and power of Anti-corruption Bureau in the ongoing tussle between Delhi and the Centre.
A bench of Justices A K Sikri, S Abdul Nazeer and M R Shah was told by senior advocate Indira Jaising that several administrative issues were arising in the governance of Delhi, therefore judgement reserved on November 1 last year, should be delivered at the earliest.
Justice Sikri, who headed the two-judge bench which reserved the order, said the judgement will be delivered "very soon". Justice Ashok Bhushan was the other member of the bench.
On November 1, the apex court had reserved its verdict on the plea against notifications related to control over services, setting up of Commission of Inquiry and power of Anti-corruption Bureau in Delhi.
During the earlier hearing of the pleas, the Centre had told the court that the Lieutenant Governor (LG) has the power to regulate services in Delhi.
The powers were delegated to the administrator of Delhi and the services can be administered through him, it had said.
The Centre also said that unless the President of India expressly directs, the LG, who is the administrator of Delhi, cannot consult the Chief Minister or the Council of Ministers.
The Delhi government had earlier told the top court that it wanted to know where it stands with regard to the administration in view of the Constitution bench verdict of apex court on July 4, last year.
The five-judge bench had laid down broad parameters for governance of the national capital, which has witnessed a power struggle between the Centre and the Delhi government since the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in 2014.
In the landmark verdict, it had unanimously held that Delhi cannot be accorded the status of a state but clipped the powers of the Lieutenant Governor (LG), saying he has no "independent decision making power" and has to act on the aid and advice of the elected government.
"Delhi has an extraordinary position as it is the capital of the country," it said.
It said that the national capital houses several institutions of vital importance like Parliament, the Supreme Court and foreign diplomats also resides here.
The Aam Aadmi Party government has told the apex court that its functioning was "completely paralysed" and it cannot order transfer or posting of officers despite the constitution bench verdict on the national capital's administration.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had been at loggerheads with incumbent LG Anil Baijal and his predecessor Najeeb Jung.
Kejriwal had accused both of them of preventing the functioning of his government at the behest of the Centre.
Comments
0 comment