Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday lashed out at the Centre for introducing a bill that proposes to redefine the role of the council of ministers and lieutenant governor (LG) in the Capital. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, was ‘unconstitutional and anti-democracy' and also blamed the Centre for trying to curtail the powers of the government in the national capital through it.
“The Bill says- 1. For Delhi, “Govt” will mean LG Then what will elected govt do? 2. All files will go to LG This is against 4.7.18 Constitution Bench judgement which said that files will not be sent to LG, elected govt will take all decisions and send copy of decision to LG,” he tweeted.
Kejriwal also tagged his previous tweet that strongly condemned the Bharatiya Janata party-led central government's move. "After being rejected by people of Del (8 seats in Assembly, 0 in MCD bypolls), BJP seeks to drastically curtail powers of elected govt through a Bill in LS today. Bill is contrary to Constitution Bench judgement. We strongly condemn BJP’s unconstitutional and anti-democracy move," the chief minister said.
{{/usCountry}}Kejriwal also tagged his previous tweet that strongly condemned the Bharatiya Janata party-led central government's move. "After being rejected by people of Del (8 seats in Assembly, 0 in MCD bypolls), BJP seeks to drastically curtail powers of elected govt through a Bill in LS today. Bill is contrary to Constitution Bench judgement. We strongly condemn BJP’s unconstitutional and anti-democracy move," the chief minister said.
{{/usCountry}}The bill was approved by the cabinet in February and is to be moved by the Union home minister Amit Shah to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991.
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This is not the first time that the AAP government has accused the party in the Centre of trying to curtail its power and legislative functioning. The chief minister and the then LG Najeeb Jung locked horns with the AAP party workers even going on a nine-day sit-in protest in front of his residence in 2018.
The tussle between the Kejriwal-led Delhi government and the LG was resolved after the issue reached the Supreme Court. The top court’s constitution bench in 2018 ruled in the favour of the government announcing that the lieutenant-governor cannot intervene in the decision taken by the government. “The LG is the administrative head but can’t act as an obstructionist," the bench had said in its ruling.