As the Delhi Assembly’s four-day session starts on Monday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs are likely to seek clarity over the “jurisdiction” of the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor (LG) and ask the city administration to move the Supreme Court on the issue.
Sources said that confusion has prevailed among the ruling party legislators over the rights of the Assembly, after the Delhi high court’s order, which stamped the Lieutenant Governor’s supremacy in the city administration earlier this month.
Besides this, the ruling party members are likely to raise the issue of AAP MLAs’ arrest.
“After the High Court order, most MLAs are in doubt over the rights of the Assembly and the government and want clarity on the issue. In view of this, they will table a resolution on the floor of the House, asking the Delhi government to move to Supreme Court,” a party functionary said.
AAP MLA from Rajouri Garden, Jarnail Singh, said that legislators would seek more clarity on the powers of the Delhi Assembly and the government in the House after the High Court order.
“The issue about this confusion over the recent High Court order will certainly be raised. We will seek more clarity on the powers of the Delhi Assembly and the government,” he added.
Singh said: “In other places, the government has the power to directly present a Bill before Assembly, but in Delhi the situation is the other way round. Legislations require prior sanction from the LG.”
Meanwhile, it must be noted that the Arvind Kejriwal government has already said that it will move the Supreme Court against the High Court’s verdict, which on August 4 had ruled that LG is the administrative head of Delhi.
During the four-day session, the AAP government will also table two Bills – Ambedkar University Bill and Luxury Tax Amendment Bill. With the latter legislation, the government aims to do away with luxury tax on hotel room renting up to Rs 1,500 in the national Capital.
As per the existing Delhi Tax on Luxuries Act (1996), any person who stays in a hotel room, whose tariff is Rs 750 per day or above, has to pay a luxury tax.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to corner the AAP dispensation over the number of issues, including the imposition of Section 144 near the CM’s residence.
Opposition Leader Vijender Gupta said that BJP would confront the ruling party for its “unconstitutional” action leading to a “piquant situation” in running the government. He added that the party would also raise issues such as deaths due to Chinese manjha and delay in notification in the House.
“Why is the Delhi government mum on booking the culprits and sending them to jail?,” asked Gupta, alleging nexus between the AAP government with manjha-making mafia in the city.
He added that the appointment of lawyers and wastage of money in their fee would also be raised in the Assembly. “The death of a boy after he drowned in an PWD open manhole would be raised in the House,” said Gupta.