L-G office accuses Delhi govt of misleading the courts
New Delhi: The L-G Secretariat wrote the Union Home Secretary regarding alleged Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) violations during their interactions with the Supreme Court and High Court, on Thursday.
They accused the Delhi government of allegedly attempting to mislead the courts and influencing the justice delivery system, by “filing motivated and premeditated petitions and trying to secure an endorsement of the same from the Hon’ble Courts by presenting patently false affidavits”.
Citing Section 45(J)(4) of the GNCTD Act, 1991 and the Rule 23(iii) of Transaction of Business Rules, 1993, claiming that matters affecting relations of the GNCTD, or those that bring into controversy with any state government, Supreme Court or High Court, need to be submitted to the Lieutenant Governor through the Chief Secretariat and the Chief Minister, before any orders are issued on it.
The letter contains reports on the ongoing judicial cases surrounding the Delhi government and the L-G, including matters related to upgradation of infrastructure in the Delhi High Court and subordinate judiciary in the city, releasing funds to the Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Excise Policy and the Farishtey Scheme.
The L-G Secretariat mentions in the letter, “While many similar cases are going on in different courts, it is pertinent to highlight that such misleading measures undertaken by the GNCTD, apart from spending crores of rupees of the public exchequer on scurrilous litigation and wasting several precious manhours of public officials, also burdens the already overburdened Hon’ble Courts, with frivolous litigations. Such attempts apart from misleading the Hon’ble
Courts, create a confusing and skewed narrative that maligns the image of the Lt. Governor in public mind.”
They have added that the letter is intended to keep the Home Ministry informed about “developments in Delhi with regard to avoidable litigation in various court by the GNCTD”.
Aam Aadmi Party responded to the allegations claiming that the Centre’s GNCTD Amendment Act has allegedly stripped them off their powers, defying Supreme Court decisions. “The Centre-appointed officers are ignoring ministerial directives and the L-G of neglecting ministerial appeals. Bureaucratic impasses have halted crucial initiatives including DJB funds, the Farishtey Scheme, Bus Marshals, and Smog Towers, leaving Delhi’s two crore residents in limbo. The government bemoans bureaucratic delays as files languish without response, exacerbating an already tumultuous administrative landscape,” they said.
