NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has found a new lieutenant in AAP leader and Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel in his war against the supremacy of the Lieutenant-Governor in the capital-state. Goel decided to take the confrontation unleashed by Kejriwal against Najeeb Jung ahead, when he said that the Delhi Assembly is an independent body and does not come under the state government. This comes at a time when Kejriwal has accepted a High Court verdict that upheld the supremacy of powers of the L-G, and has started following the Transaction of Business Rules.
A day after Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung removed Krishna Saini as Chairperson of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday requested him to “reconsider” his order.
Jung constituted a three-member committee to examine over 400 files containing “infirmities and irregularities” in administrative decisions taken by the AAP government. The secretary to the L-G, Vijay Kumar, has written to all the departments, “The functioning of the government was reviewed by the L-G. All principal secretaries, secretaries and HODs were directed to identify all such instances where prior approval of the competent authority (L-G), though required under extant Acts, Rules and Guidelines as per prevailing constitutional scheme, was not obtained.”
Thereafter, the General Administration Department sought details of the state legislative assembly where L-G’s approval was not taken.
When the Assembly secretary sought the views of speaker regarding “review of orders relating to issue of statutory notifications and further necessary action”, Goel said, “The Legislative Assembly of National Capital Territory of Delhi is legislative organ which is independent of Delhi government, hence no action is required.” He directed state assembly secretary not to send files to the L-G.