NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has restrained the Centre from making appointments to the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) after a petition filed by an AAP MLA alleged that the process was being carried out without consulting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. As per the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994, it is necessary for the central government to have consultations with the chief minister for making the appointments.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru directed NDMC and the Centre not to make any appointments to the post of chairperson, vice-chairperson and other members of the council till August 13.“It is clarified that till the next date of hearing, no appointment shall be made under Section 4(1)(a), 4(1)(d) and 4(4) of the said Act,” the high court said in a recent order.
The court said it would examine the matter, and the controversy involved in the present petition was limited and only related to the manner in which the consultation had to take place.The plea was filed by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Surender Singh, who sought directions that the Centre be restrained from nominating/appointing any person to the Council without receipt of comments from the chief minister.
The submission was opposed by the counsel for the Centre, who asserted that the necessary file had been sent to the Delhi chief minister for consultation. The high court asked the parties to file a written synopsis along with the judgements relied upon by them in advance. The AAP MLA from Delhi Cantonment, had in 2015 moved the high court challenging Centre’s notification appointing BJP leader Karan Singh Tanwar as Vice Chairman of the NDMC. (With PTI inputs)