Apex court may pronounce judgment today

NEW DELHI:  The Supreme Court is likely to pronounce its verdict Thursday on a batch of petitions challenging a Delhi High Court order that the Lt. Governor is the administrator of the national capital.
The pleas filed by the Delhi government are against the notifications on control over services, setting up of a Commission of Inquiry and the power of Anti-Corruption Bureau, in its tussle with the Centre.

A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri will pronounce the verdict. On November 1 last year, the apex court had reserved its verdict.Last week, senior advocate Indira Jaising had mentioned before the bench that as several administrative issues were arising in the governance of Delhi, therefore judgment should be delivered at the earliest.

In the previous hearings, the Centre had told the court that the Lieutenant Governor has the power to regulate services in Delhi. The powers were delegated to the administrator of Delhi and the services can be administered through him, it had said.The Centre also said unless the President expressly directs, the Lieutenant Governor, who is the administrator of Delhi, cannot consult the Chief Minister or the Council of Ministers.