Delhi government moves HC on Centre's notification on LG's powers

NEW DELHI: The AAP government today moved the Delhi High Court challenging the Centre's recent notification giving the Lieutenant Governor absolute powers in appointing bureaucrats in the national capital.

The petition was mentioned before a bench of justices B D Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva, saying, "The Delhi government has decided to move against the Ministry of Home Affair's (MHA's) May 21 notification."

"As per the notification, the LG would have jurisdiction over matters connected with services, public orders, police and land, and...services of bureaucrats...allowing him discretionary powers to seek the opinion of the CM," it said.

The petition was mentioned by Delhi government standing counsel Raman Duggal a day after the Centre moved the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Delhi HC which termed as "suspect" MHA's recent notification barring the city government's Anti-corruption Branch (ACB) from acting against its officers in criminal offences.

The HC had also held that the LG cannot act in his discretion.

Duggal also said that he has challenged all notifications issued by the Centre in the past. The bench has listed the matter for hearing tomorrow.

The Delhi government, led by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has also challenged the appointment of Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary by the LG.