Delhi passes anti-Centre resolution

The Delhi Legislative Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution calling the Centre’s May 21 notification giving sweeping powers to the Lt Governor (L-G) as “illegal”.

The resolution will now be sent to the President, MPs, the Home Ministry and the L-G.
Former Delhi Assembly secretary S K Sharma said the resolution carries no weight and the Home Ministry or the President are not bound to act upon it. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the notification was a shield given to corrupt officials by the Centre and both the BJP and the Congress are “together in the conspiracy as middlemen of these parties have stopped getting contracts”.

The resolution, moved by Malviya Nagar legislator Somnath Bharti, said the notification “is an illegal and invalid” exercise of power by the Centre and violative of the provisions of the Constitution. It asked senior officials to ignore the Centre’s notification and obey the decisions of Delhi government and work without fear. The notification had backed L-G Najeeb Jung in his tussle with Kejriwal over appointment of senior officials.