NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal
met Union home minister
Rajnath Singh on Wednesday to complain against what he alleged was “selective interpretation” of the recent Supreme Court order on the division of powers between the Centre/LG and Delhi government. Singh, who gave Kejriwal and his deputy
Manish Sisodia a patient hearing, said he would be able to revert after seeking legal opinion on the issues raised by them.
“The home minister heard whatever points were made by Kejriwal with respect to the Supreme Court judgment. He then told Kejriwal he would consult legal experts before taking a view,” a home ministry official told TOI.
Sources, however, said there was little that could be done to resolve the tussle over the ‘services’ issue since the matter was sub-judice and pending before a regular bench of the Supreme Court. “The legal opinion likely to be tendered to the home minister may be on the same lines,” said an officer.
When TOI checked if Singh would meet Kejriwal again on July 16, as claimed by the latter, the officer said: “the home minister would do so in case it is needed”.
Kejriwal had, on emerging from his meeting with Singh, told mediapersons: “We met Rajnath on the Supreme Court order regarding powers of Delhi government. We told him that the Centre and LG were interpreting the SC order in a peculiar way. They are saying we will follow it partially. For instance, Para 277 (21) of the order says no file will go to LG and that the Delhi government is free to make decisions. Centre/LG say they will follow this. But Para 14, 15 and 16 of the order say that except for three subjects, the Delhi government has powers to take decisions. This means that even in matters of ‘services’ the Delhi government is the authority to make decisions. They (Centre/LG) have refused to follow this part of the order and want to wait for the verdict of the division bench.”
“Our only argument is that either wait for order of the division bench or honour the Supreme Court order fully. How can you follow the division Bench order partially and Supreme Court judgment partially?” he asked.
Kejriwal claimed that as he read the concerned paras in the (Supreme Court) order to Singh, “he seemed convinced with my arguments”. “He (the home minister) said he would consult his officers. He is travelling for the next three days. He said he would meet me again on July 16 after speaking to his officers,” said the chief minister.
When asked about the pending court case, Kejriwal said: “in case the Centre concedes on the points raised by him, then the court proceedings will only be a formality”.
Sources, however, said the home ministry is unlikely to change its stance and will wait for the verdict of the regular bench of the Supreme Court on the issue of “services”.
