SC verdict on aldermen appointment calls for soul searching by AAP govt: L-G office
New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s office on Wednesday said the Supreme Court judgement on aldermen appointment in the MCD calls for “soul searching and introspection” by the city government even as it expressed hope that the civic body will expedite the process of formation of the standing committee.
Responding to the statement, the AAP alleged that the L-G office “in cahoots with the BJP” has been flouting constitutional norms and maintained that it “respectfully disagrees” with the latest verdict and will explore other legal remedies available. This is the first reaction from the L-G’s office after the Supreme Court gave its verdict, which had been reserved for 15 months, on Monday.
“The Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena has expressed the hope that with the Three-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court having categorically ruled in the matter of appointment of Aldermen, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will expeditiously take steps to put into place statutorily required bodies and processes, hitherto lying pending for the past about 19 months,” a statement from the L-G Secretariat said. Accusing the Delhi government of getting into “pointless litigation”, the L-G office said that the government not only wasted the time of the apex court but also “deliberately” crippled the MCD.
“This judgement calls for a soul searching and introspection by the government in power and its leaders. Public interest is paramount and cannot be sacrificed on the altar of turf battles,” the statement added.
The L-G office said the works pending in the corporation due to the non-formation of the standing committee, the highest decision making body of the MCD, could have cleared if the statutory committees were put in place well in time after the LG’s decision on the appointments in January last year.
It said that the L-G had noted in his file on the matter that he made the appointments in pursuance of the power vested upon him as per the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, (1957), adding that the same was observed by the apex court in its ruling.
“The Lt. Governor in his noting on file in the matter of appointment of Aldermen had expressly written, in pursuance of Section 3(3)(b)(i) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, read with Article 239AA of the Constitution I nominate following 10 persons in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. “The Supreme Court while dismissing the Writ Petition filed by GNCTD against the office of the Lt. Governor, has observed “we are of the opinion that the section of the DMC Act is a parliamentary enactment vesting the power of nomination with the Lt. Governor,” the statement read.
In a statement released later in the day, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacked the L-G’s office over its remarks. “It’s the Lieutenant Governor’s office which has repeatedly transgressed all the constitutional boundaries and norms, forcing us to take him to court over and again,” the AAP said. “The Delhi government has consistently received relief from the courts. If we were wrong, why would the courts rule in our favour on the DERC matter or the Delhi Mayor’s election?,” the statement said.
