NEW DELHI: Amid reports that the Lieutenant Governor has referred to the Centre the AAP government’s decision to choose lawyers for fighting cases related to the farmers’ agitation, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday alleged that functioning of the elected AAP dispensation was being obstructed.
The L-G is to intervene in issues of the city government only in “exceptional circumstances” and not in every other matter. Else what is the need of an elected government, he said at a virtual press conference.
Sources claimed on Saturday that the L-G’s office has forwarded a file on the Delhi Cabinet rejecting police’s proposal to set up panels of public prosecutors for cases related to Republic Day violence and last year’s riots to the Union Home Ministry due to a difference of opinion.
Last week, the AAP government had rejected the police’s proposals setting the stage for a fresh round of confrontation with the Centre and the office of L-G Anil Baijal. “The matter has been reserved for the consideration of the President of India due to the difference of opinion between the L-G and the AAP government. The file of cabinet decision received by the L-G office was forwarded to Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday for further action,” said a source privy to the development.
‘It has been recommended that the 11 special public prosecutors in Republic day violence-related cases and three others in northeast Delhi riots cases, proposed by the Delhi Police be immediately appointed in view of the gravity of the two matters,” he said.
This is the first time the L-G has reserved any matter for consideration of the President, owing to the difference of opinion with the Kejriwal dispensation, since the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021, came into force in April this year.
‘What is Centre’s interest?’
Stating that the L-G has referred the matter to the Centre for consideration of the President, Sisodia said, “I want to ask what is the interest of the Centre in choosing lawyers? If they have to choose the lawyers also, what is the point of the elected government of Delhi.”. The deputy CM stated that the L-G has powers to refer to the Centre decisions of the city government he is not in agreement with. But this applies to only “exceptional circumstances”.