NEW DELHI: The General Administration Department (GAD) of Delhi has rejected Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s request for Delhi Minister Atishi to hoist the national flag on Independence Day at Chhatrasal Stadium. The request had been communicated through Delhi Minister Gopal Rai, who directed the GAD to authorize Atishi for the ceremony on August 15, 2024.
However, the GAD, citing legal reasons, deemed the directive invalid. In a written response, Additional Chief Secretary Navin Kumar Chaudhary clarified that the communication was in violation of the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018. He stated, "I draw your attention to Rules 585, 588, 620, and 627 of the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018. It is clear that the above communication does not qualify as permissible communication outside of prison. Only private correspondence with a designated set of people, as defined by the rules, is allowed. Therefore, any communication, written or oral, in contravention of these rules is not legally valid and cannot be acted upon."
Despite this, Chaudhary assured that the department would continue making all other necessary arrangements for the Independence Day celebrations at Chhatrasal Stadium.
The rejection has sparked speculation that Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena might intervene and override the decision regarding the flag hoisting ceremony. Raj Niwas officials have indicated that constitutional provisions are being explored to resolve the situation. A senior official commented, "This is an unprecedented situation, so we cannot refer to any previous instances for guidance. There is no immediate clarity, but we are exploring constitutional provisions to address this matter."
There is also speculation that the L-G might nominate another minister from the Delhi cabinet to perform the flag hoisting if a resolution is not reached soon.
