Delhi Govt vs Centre: Kejriwal Calls SC Verdict ‘Victory of Democracy’; BJP Warns of ‘Long Term Ramifications’

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Centre-Delhi services dispute, in which the Delhi government had legislative and executive powers over services in the national capital.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, who is visiting the Delhi secretariat for the first time in several months and holding a meeting with his cabinet there, termed the decision a “victory for democracy”.

Kejriwal “heartily thanked” the Supreme Court for “doing justice to the people of Delhi” and said the pace of development would increase manifold.

In a unanimous verdict, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the LG is bound by the aid and advice of the NCT government, except in matters relating to land, public order and police.

Welcoming ‘every legal enumeration’ of the judgement, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represented the Delhi Government vs Lt Governor in the case, said the judgment is in favor of the people of Delhi.

“We hope and trust that such all bold legal acrobatics as practiced by the Central Government in the NCT case will not happen again,” he said.

Welcoming the decision, the Aam Aadmi Party tweeted in Hindi, “The elected government will have the right to transfer-posting officers. The officials will work only through the elected government.”

The party said that the Lieutenant Governor will have no power over the officials to stop the work of the people of Delhi.

AAP Rajya Sabha Raghav Chadha called the verdict a “landmark decision” and said it sends a strong message.

“Satyameva Jayate. Delhi has won. The historic judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court sends a strong message that the officers working with the Delhi government are there to serve the people of Delhi through an elected government, not unelected usurpers parachuted in to stop governance by the Centre. For those in the know, ie Lt Governor,” Chadha tweeted.

Describing the verdict as ‘historic’, senior AAP leader and minister Atishi said, ‘After a long battle, the Supreme Court gave Arvind Kejriwal government its due. Now no one will be able to obstruct the work of the people of Delhi. ,

This historic decision is the victory of the people of Delhi. Now Delhi will progress at double the speed. Congratulations everyone!” she said in a tweet in Hindi.

Saurabh Bhardwaj, another minister of the Delhi government, tweeted, “Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal fought a legal battle for the people of Delhi for eight years. Today the people have won.”

Meanwhile, the BJP said that the apex court’s decision will have long-term implications not only in Delhi, but also in other union territories in the future.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson RP Singh said, “The Supreme Court’s decision on the power of Union Territories will have long-lasting implications not only for Delhi but also for Jammu and Kashmir in the future.”

sc verdict

Hearing the matter of Center vs Delhi Government on demarcation of power, a constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said that an elected government needs to exercise control over the administration.

It refused to agree with Justice Ashok Bhushan’s 2019 judgment that the city government has no power over the issue of services.

The Constitution Bench was set up to hear legal issues relating to the scope of legislative and executive powers of the Center and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi on regulation of services in Delhi.