Go to Supreme Court to Clear Confusion Over Verdict, Kejriwal Tells Centre, L-G

New Delhi: As the row between Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal over control on services continued, Kejriwal suggested that the Centre and the L-G go to the Supreme Court to clear any confusion over its July 4 verdict.

The statement comes a day after the home ministry criticised Kejriwal for insinuating that it advised Baijal to not follow the Supreme Court order and asserted that it will be against the law to take a final view on the matter as it is still pending before the court.

The Centre and L-G are interpreting the top court’s judgment in a “queer” manner, the chief minister said on Saturday. “My suggestion is that they (Centre and L-G) should go to the court. They have confusion, we do not have any confusion,” Kejriwal said when asked if the Delhi government would take the 'services' issue to the apex court.

“They say they will obey the SC order of not sending files to the L-G or seeking his concurrence but not on the services matter. It's not done, either you obey the whole order or none of it,” he said.

Hours after the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment on July 4 clipped the powers of the L-G, the Kejriwal government introduced a new system for transfer and postings of bureaucrats, making the chief minister the approving authority.

However, the services department refused to comply, saying the Supreme Court did not abolish the notification issued in 2015 which made the MHA the authority for transfers and postings.

On Thursday, Kejriwal held a press conference after meeting Baijal in which he claimed that the latter does not agree that control of the services department should be handed over to the Delhi government. "The Supreme Court said that except three subjects, police, land and public order, Delhi government will have executive power on other subjects," he said.

“L-G sought advice from that MHA which told him that services should not be given to Delhi government. It is the first time in the history of India that the central government has openly refused to obey the SC's order...," he told reporters after his 25-minute long meeting with Baijal.

The L-G had earlier been the approving authority for transfers and postings of the IAS and DANICS (Delhi, Anadaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Services) officers.

Senior bureaucrats working with the Delhi government also maintained that the ‘services matter’ was within the LG’s jurisdiction since Delhi is a Union territory, and that it did not come under the concurrent and state lists.

(With PTI inputs)