Delhi govt doubles strength of its legal team in High Court

Locked in court battles with the Lieutenant Governor and the Centre on a range of issues, the Aam Aadmi Party government on Tuesday decided to double the strength of its standing counsels in the Delhi High Court besides hiking salaries of prosecuting officers.

The Cabinet accepted a proposal of the law department to increase the posts of Government standing counsels in the Delhi High Court and the National Green Tribunal to ensure that the government is effectively and adequately represented in legal matters.

“It has been decided to create the post of senior standing counsel (civil) in the High Court. One additional post of standing counsel (civil) will also be created in the High Court and the number of additional standing counsels (civil) will be increased from seven to 15,” the city government said in a statement.

Important cases in the Delhi High Court involving AAP government include its challenge to the Union Home Ministry notification giving certain powers to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, appointment of Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) chief M K Meena and a PIL questioning appointment of a commission of inquiry into the CNG fitness scam.

The meeting approved the proposal of Department of Home to grant higher pay scales to different categories of prosecutors working for Delhi government.

“The cabinet took note of the fact that the job of prosecutors in Delhi is taxing as the court cases in national capital are more complex as compared to other places and therefore the proposal for increase in pay hike is justified,” the statement said.

Also, four new posts of additional standing counsels in the National Green Tribunal will be created.

Compensation
The Cabinet also gave its nod to provide employment to the son of the the Delhi Transport Corporation driver Ashok Kumar who was beaten to death on May 10 in an incident of road rage.

“The Cabinet decided that Ajay, son of Ashok Kumar, be given employment in the clerical cadre for the post of junior clerk in DTC on compassionate grounds. Also, other monetary benefits for the family of the deceased have been approved,” it said.

The Cabinet also decided that the medical expenses of Ashok Kumar’s wife would be taken care of and her treatment will be done at an empanelled hospital as per DTC rules.