New Delhi: The APP party, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal takes the central government to the Supreme Court seeking an immediate stay on the Delhi Ordinance, saying it sidesteps the elected government from controlling civic services in the national capital. The petition termed it as an “unconstitutional exercise of the executive order”.
The party will also launch a phased campaign against it by burning copies of the ordinance on July 3. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal will lead the campaign by burning copies of the Ordinance on Control of Services in the national capital.
What does the argument say?
The Delhi government “shows contempt for the elected government by feigning its involvement through the chief minister” for the Centre’s ordinance.
The AAP administration called the Centre’s ordinance “unconstitutional”, claiming that it contradicts the federal, democratic governance framework enshrined in Article 239AA (the article on Delhi’s governance structure). According to the petition, under the scheme of Article 239AA, the Lieutenant Governor has complete discretion in matters outside the legislative and executive purview of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi.
On 19 May, the Center issued an ordinance to limit the powers of the elected government of Delhi. The order was issued just days after the Supreme Court handed over control of Delhi’s services, except police, public order and land, to the elected government.
Following this, Arvind Kejriwal has been holding meetings with various opposition parties across the country to garner support, arguing that the ordinance will destroy the country’s federal system.
While other non-BJP parties have supported the AAP on the ordinance, the Congress is yet to condemn it.