HC sets aside AAP-govt order appointing Parliamentary Secys

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal passed the order after the counsel appearing for Delhi government "conceded" that the March 13, 2015 order was issued without taking concurrence or views of Lieutenant Governor.

Senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, who appeared for Delhi government, referred to the August 4 judgement passed by the High Court which had quashed several notifications issued by AAP government on the ground that they were issued without taking concurrence of the LG.

"Today I have to concede that the judgement (of August 4) stands against me (Delhi government)," Nandrajog told the bench.

Taking into consideration the submissions advanced by the Delhi government, the bench said, "the impugned order of the GNCTD is set aside."

During the brief hearing, Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain told the bench that the Election Commission was also seized of the matter pertaining to the appointment of 21 legislators as parliamentary secretaries.

In its August 4 judgement, the High Court had held that Delhi was a Union Territory and LG remained its administrative head.

The Centre had on July 13 opposed the appointment of 21 parliamentary secretaries by the Aam Aadmi Party government, saying the post neither finds place in the Constitution, nor does it find a place in the Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act of 1997, except for the post of Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister.