Kejriwal, Baijal spar again

New Delhi, July 9: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday urged Lt Governor Anil Baijal to fully implement the Supreme Court order giving primacy to the Delhi government on all matters except three in letter and spirit. Baijal responded that appeals were pending before a regular bench in the apex court and not to draw premature conclusions. Kejriwal questioned Baijal over what he said was his selective acceptance of the Supreme Court ruling and advised him to approach the apex court immediately for clarification in case of any confusion. “I would again urge you to fully implement the order of the SC in letter and spirit. MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) does not have the power to interpret the SC order. If you have any confusion, kindly approach SC immediately for clarification but kindly don’t violate the SC order,” Kejriwal wrote in a letter dated July 9.

Kejriwal also wrote that the Lt Governor was ready for the files and concurrence part of the order but not implementing the part which says that the “executive powers of the Central government are limited to three subjects only”. “How can you be selective in accepting the judgement? Either you should take a position that all the matters would now be placed before a regular bench and therefore you would not implement any part of the order. Or you should accept the whole order and implement it. How can you say that you will accept this para of the order but not accept that para of the same order?”

The Supreme Court on July 4 ruled that the executive powers, except for public order, police and land, were vested in the elected government and the Lt Governor was bound to act on the aid and advise of the government in all other matters. In response, Baijal said that Kejriwal had “erroneously mentioned” about the selective implementation of the judgment. “When appeals are still pending before the regular bench, it will be premature to draw any conclusions in this regard,” said a statement from the LG office. “While the entire judgment and its implications are still being studied, it may kindly be noted that in the concluding paras, the court while answering the reference has directed to place the matters before the appropriate regular bench. Therefore, further clarity will be achieved when the appeals pending before the regular bench are finally disposed,” it said. Baijal pointed out that even before Kejriwal’s letter reached his office, it had appeared on the social and electronic media. (IANS)