New Delhi: The Arvind Kejriwal government on Tuesday convened a two-day special session of the Delhi Assembly and adopted the motion to discuss the notification issued by the Home Ministry which called the Lt Governor's powers absolute. The national capital is witnessing a power tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party government and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung over the appointment, transfer and postings of bureaucrats.
Dissecting the notification, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged that it was the complete opposite to what was stated in the Constitution. "The notification also questions Delhi government's power to seek services from bureaucrats, encroaches on powers of Assembly," said Sisodia.
The remarks led to an uproar in the House as Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Vijender Gupta demanded a list of officers who have been accused of corruption.
AAP MLAs who are in a majority, are likely to pass a resolution calling the notification unconstitutional.
The decision to hold the special session was taken at a Cabinet meeting presided by Kejriwal. As per the original schedule the Assembly was due to meet in June for the passage of Budget.
After the notification was issued by the Centre, Kejriwal had reacted strongly to the notification, saying that the NDA Government at the Centre was trying to run the national capital through the 'backdoor'. On the other hand, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had also criticised the notification, terming it as an attempt to "save the transfer-posting industry being run in Delhi".
The appointment of senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary by L-G had triggered a full-blown war between the ruling AAP and the Lt Governor, with Kejriwal questioning the latter's authority and accusing him of trying to take over the administration.
Meanwhile, in a huge boost in his fight with Lt Governor over powers of the state government, the Delhi High Court not only denied bail to police Head Constable Anil Kumar in a corruption case but also declared that Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) had the jurisdiction to arrest police personnel.
Delhi Police Head Constable Anil Kumar was arrested in Northeast Delhi's Sonia Vihar area following a complaint by a scrap dealer on the anti-corruption helpline 1033. The scrap dealer accused Kumar of trying to extort Rs 20,000 from him and threatening to implicate him in false cases. But Kumar's arrest pitted the Kejriwal government against Delhi Police which registered a case of kidnapping after the Head Constable’s wife lodged a complaint. Police officials also sent a notice to the ACB asking its team to "join investigations".
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