Delhi govt, L-G must settle disputes once and for all: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday urged the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) to resolve their persistent disputes as it disposed of a plea concerning the “Farishtey Dilli Ke” scheme. The observation by a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan came after the Delhi government informed the court that funds for the scheme had been released.

The “Farishtey Dilli Ke” scheme, aimed at providing free medical treatment to road accident victims, had faced operational hurdles due to alleged delays in clearing hospital bills. The initiative encourages citizens to help accident victims by offering financial support for their treatment in private hospitals.

Senior advocate Shadan Farasat, representing the Delhi government, told the court, “The funds were released following the apex court’s intervention in December 2023. The Delhi government no longer wishes to press its petition.”

Acknowledging the development, the bench remarked, “This matter has been resolved, but disputes between the Delhi government and the L-G must be addressed once and for all. It is unfortunate that one wing of the government fights with another.”

The plea filed by the Delhi government in December 2023 had accused health department officials of deliberately stalling the scheme by failing to clear pending bills. It labelled the inaction as an attempt to “sabotage” the initiative.

The Supreme Court had then observed, “We don’t understand this. Why is one wing of the government at odds with another? Such discord affects public welfare.”

The petition also highlighted the repercussions of the delays. “Hospitals have grown reluctant to accept accident victims, and the scheme has been practically defunct for over a year due to non-payment of bills,” the plea stated.