Post SC verdict, Kejriwal tells officials to speed up projects

New Delhi, July 5: Hours after the Supreme Court held that the Delhi LG does not have independent decision-making powers, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a cabinet meeting and directed officials to expedite projects like doorstep delivery of rations and installation of CCTV cameras.

Officers have been directed to work as per the Supreme Court's orders, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said at a press conference after the cabinet meeting that lasted eight-minutes.

Sisodia said with the Supreme Court's verdict on the power tussle between the Centre and the Delhi government, the AAP dispensation does not need to get its every decision approved by Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal.

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court today unanimously held that Delhi cannot be accorded the status of a state but clipped the powers of the LG, saying he has no "independent decision making power" and has to act on the aid and advice of the elected government.

"...Directed all functionaries of Del govt to function according to the order of Hon'ble SC. Also directed to expedite proposals of doorstep delivery of rations and CCTV now (sic)," Kejriwal tweeted after the meeting.

Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, Home Secretary Manoj Parida, Finance Secretary Renu Sharma and Law Secretary Anoop Kumar Mendiratta entered the Cabinet room at 3.59 pm and exited it at 4.07 pm. The officers were accompanied by police officials.

The meeting was initially scheduled at the chief minister's residence, but it was later shifted to the Delhi Secretariat.

An official said around a dozen proposals such as doorstep delivery of ration, CCTV cameras, regularisation of contractual employees, appointment of teachers will be expedited after the apex court's order.

The judgment by a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra laid down broad parameters for the governance of the national capital, which has witnessed a bitter power tussle between the Centre and Delhi government since the Aam Aadmi Party government came to power in 2014.

The chief minister said that had the Modi government not withdrawn the power of the Delhi government through "illegal orders, precious three years would have been saved".

"If Modi govt had not withdrawn the powers of elected govt through illegal orders, precious three years would have been saved.

"People of Delhi are grateful to judiciary. Today's order reinforces people's faith in judiciary," he posted on Twitter.

Kejriwal has hailed the Supreme Court verdict on the power tussle between the Delhi government and the Centre as a "big victory" for the people of the city and for democracy.

Sisodia said today's decision was important as "hurdles" had been thrown in the functioning of an elected government thrown "wilful interpretation" of the Constitution.