AAP MLA tears Home Ministry notification in Assembly

NEW DELHI: Delhi Assembly today witnessed unruly scenes as an AAP legislator today tore a copy of the Centre's notification giving absolute powers to the Lt Governor in appointments of bureaucrats as well as matters relating to police and public order.

Participating in a discussion on the notification, Mahendra Goyal lambasted the Centre for "trying to take away" legitimate powers of the Delhi government and tore the copy of the notification issued by the Home Ministry on May 21.

The AAP government yesterday moved a resolution in the Assembly against the notification terming it "unconstitutional".

A number of AAP MLAs spoke during the debate on the resolution and attacked the Centre for issuing the notification.

Moving the resolution, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had yesterday called the notification an "insult" to the "most popular mandate" of the people of Delhi.

In the notification, the Centre gave absolute powers to the LG in appointment of bureaucrats while also clarifying that he need not "consult" the chief minister on subjects like police and public order.

The ACB of the Delhi government has also been barred from registering any case against officers and political functionaries of the central government.

However, the Delhi High Court yesterday ruled that the ACB has the authority to probe central government officials, including Delhi Police personnel.