NEW DELHI, May 29: In the midst of the ongoing stand-off between the Delhi Lt Governor and the AAP government, the Centre today said it has no intention to run the city government through anyone but is conscious of its Constitutional responsibility and committed to uphold it.
“We have no intentions to run the Delhi government through anyone. Let them run the government. We just want to uphold the Constitutional provisions,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh said at a press conference here.
He was replying to a question on whether the Centre wants to run the Delhi government through the Lieutenant Governor as it has given him absolute powers in several matters, including transfer and postings of senior bureaucrats, by issuing a notification, which was challenged in the court by the Arvind Kejriwal government.
“We are not against anyone but it is our responsibility to uphold constitutional provisions. Everyone should remain within the framework of the Constitution,” he said without naming anyone.
Asked to comment on Delhi Assembly’s resolution holding as “illegal” the Centre’s May 21 notification giving more powers to the LG and Kejriwal’s statement that the Narendra Modi-led government is trying to push the country towards “dictatorship”, the Home Minister said he would not like to say anything on this but added that the government was committed to uphold the Constitution.
Singh further said that if any law and order situation arises in the national capital, the central government is obliged to intervene.
“I don’t want to say who is doing what but we are committed to uphold the Constitution. Law and order is also my duty…We will see,” he said.
When asked if a jung (war) is going on between the Centre and the Delhi government, Singh said in a lighter vein, “There is no jung, only Najeeb Jung.”
The Home Minister’s comments came on a day when the Supreme Court sought Delhi government’s response in three weeks on Centre’s plea seeking stay on the High Court judgment which termed as suspect the notification clipping powers of the AAP dispensation.
In its May 21 notification, the Centre had restrained the Delhi government’s anti-corruption branch (ACB) from acting against its officers in criminal offences and holding that the LG can act in his discretion.
The apex court also issued notice and sought response within six weeks from the Delhi government on the appeal filed by the Centre against the High Court’s judgment.
The Supreme Court said the High Court would hear the fresh petition filed by the Delhi government challenging the May 21 notification of the Centre independently and without being influenced by the observations made by the single judge in his verdict.
As per the notification, the Lieutenant Governor (LG) will have jurisdiction over matters connected with services, public order, police and land and he may consult with the Chief Minister whenever he thinks necessary on issues of services using his own discretion. (PTI)
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