"Treachery": AAP Hits Out At Centre Over Ordinance On Services In Delhi

The Aam Admi Party on late Friday lashed out at the Centre for bringing an ordinance notifying rules for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) regarding the 'transfer posting, vigilance and other incidental matters, and termed it an "act of dishonesty and treachery".

Delhi Education Minister Atishi said, "The ordinance brought about by the Centre is against the Supreme Court ruling giving the AAP government control over services in the National Capital. SC had ruled that an elected government should have the power to take decisions. This is called democracy. The ordinance has been passed as the Centre is fearful of the authority vested to AAP by the Supreme Court ruling".

She said that the ordinance says that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would not govern the Delhi government. "But the Centre will run it. It is clear that the Central government is fearful of the Aam Admi Party Government. Centre became fearful of the Supreme Court ruling. Therefore they have passed such an ordinance".

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj also termed the ordinance an "act of dishonesty and treachery".

"The Centre has done treachery with the ruling of the Supreme Court, Indian Constitution. With the people of Delhi. The people of Delhi elected Arvind Kejriwal three times. Today the Centre is saying that such a leader has no powers".

"Lieutenant Governor who has not been elected but rather imposed on the people of Delhi is being conferred with powers of posting and transfer. The ordinance shows disrespect towards the Supreme Court ruling," the AAP leader said.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi also termed the ordinance an "act of a bad, poor and graceless loser".

"The new ordinance re #NCT wl hv to be closely examined. But clearly, it is the act of a bad, poor & graceless loser. Doubtful if ctal principles cn be diluted by ordinances/acts. Greater doubt whether parl as a whole wl at all approve it,' tweeted Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

The ordinance has been brought to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and it circumvents the SC judgement in the Centre vs Delhi case.

The Ministry of Law and Justice stated in the notification, "In view of its special status as a national capital, a scheme of administration has to be formulated by Parliamentary law, to balance both local and national democratic interests which are at stake, which would reflect the aspirations of the people through joint and collective responsibility of both the Government of India and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (hereinafter referred to as GNCTD)".

An ordinance has been passed by the Centre to constitute 'National Capital Civil Services Authority' (NCSSA) in Delhi. This comprises Delhi CM, Chief Secretary and Home Secretary of Delhi government.

"With a view to give effect to the intent and purpose behind the provisions of Article 239AA, a permanent authority headed by the democratically elected Chief Minister of Delhi along with Chief Secretary, GNCTD the head of the administration representing the will of the officers of GNCTD and the Principal Secretary Home, GNCTD is being introduced to make recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor regarding matters concerning transfer posting, vigilance and other incidental matters," the notification stated.

Notably, this comes days after a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, in a unanimous verdict, said that the Delhi government must have control over services, and the Lieutenant Governor is bound by its decision.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)