The Supreme Court on Thursday is likely to deliver its verdict on a batch of petitions challenging notifications issued by the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi amid a power tussle with the Centre, the Hindustan Times reported. The court had reserved its verdict three months ago.
At 10.30 am, Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan are expected to pronounce judgement on who has control over services in Delhi administration, the power to set up commissions of inquiry, control over the anti-corruption bureau, and the postings and transfers of bureaucrats.
During the hearing, the Centre had told the court that the lieutenant governor has the power to regulate services in Delhi. The powers are delegated to him as the administrator of the National Capital, it had added.
On July 4, the Constitution bench had asked both Delhi and Centre to practise “collaborative federalism”, The Hindu reported. The court had restricted the jurisdiction of the lieutenant governor to matters of land, police and public order. On other matters, the lieutenant governor was asked to act on the aid and advice of the council of ministers of the elected government of the National Capital.
In January this year, the court dismissed a petition filed against Kejriwal that sought to declare his hunger strike outside the lieutenant governor’s office in June last year unconstitutional
However, in November 2017, the court had said the lieutenant governor of Delhi has more power than the governor of a state. The Supreme Court said the lieutenant governor can exercise his discretion according to Article 239AA of the Constitution.
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