NEW DELHI: In yet another blow from Raj Niwas to the Aam Aadmi Party-led government in the city, Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) has dissolved a standing committee and reconstituted it with officials from administration and police.
The panel was set up on the directions of the Supreme Court that the Home Department of every state should constitute a standing committee comprising senior police officers and prosecution department officials to examine all orders of acquittal and to record reasons for the failure of the prosecution.
The L-G has removed standing counsels, who represent the government in the Delhi High Court, from the panel and replaced them with principal secretary (home) as chairman, and principal secretary (law), director (prosecution) and special commissioner of police, as members.
The reason given for this move by the L-G is that the appointment of members by the AAP government was in gross violation of directions by the apex court. No response could be obtained from the city government on the issue.
“Delhi LG V K Saxena has dissolved the existing standing committee constituted by the AAP government for ensuring the quality of investigation in criminal cases and their prosecution, noting that it was in gross violation of the 2014 Supreme Court directions and subsequent guidelines of the Centre,” an official from the L-G office said in a note shared on Monday.
The L-G noted that the existing committee is headed by standing counsel members who are part of the prosecution and entrusted with the presentation of cases before the court. “Therefore, the role of both in such cases came under the purview of the committee and including them in the standing committee should be viewed as an attempt to dilute the directions issued by the Supreme Court and the home ministry.” Officials also said Saxena’s predecessor Anil Baijal on May 11, 2017 asked the government to review the constitution of the committee to bring it in conformity with the order of the apex court.