Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal does not agree that he has to hand over the control of the services department to the state government. The chief minister made these comments after he and his deputy Manish Sisodia met Baijal.
The meeting came two days after the Supreme Court ruled that the lieutenant governor is bound by the “aid and advice” of the council of ministers of the Delhi government in all matters under its jurisdiction.
“It is first time in India’s history that the central government has openly refused to obey the Supreme Court order,” Kejriwal told reporters at a press conference after the meeting. “If the government doesn’t follow orders of the Supreme Court, there will be anarchy in the country.”
The lieutenant governor, however, has agreed that files concerning the state government need not be sent to him, Kejriwal added. Baijal will only be informed of the decisions taken by the state government.
After the meeting, Baijal tweeted saying he had assured the Aam Aadmi Party government of continued support and cooperation for good governance and overall development of Delhi. Kejriwal, in turn, thanked the lieutenant governor.
“All of us should work together for the development of Delhi,” Kejriwal wrote on Twitter. “[The] Constitution is supreme. Orders of Supreme Court become the law of the land. They must be respected.”
In a letter to Baijal on Thursday, Kejriwal said the government would not seek his permission on any matter. “I wish to bring to your kind notice two specific issues adjudged by Hon’ble Supreme Court – LG’s ‘concurrence’ would now not be required on any matter, and executive powers related to ‘services’ lies with Council of Ministers,” the chief minister said.
Earlier on Friday, Kejriwal approved the government’s scheme to enable doorstep delivery of rations. This scheme has been one of the major points of contention between the Aam Aadmi Party government and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.
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