Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal resigns

The 1969-batch IAS officer, who was appointed to the post in December 2016, earlier served as DDA vice-chairperson  and Union Home Secretary during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. He had also headed public sector companies including Prasar Bharati and Indian Airlines. Baijal had also served as secretary, Urban Development, from where he retired in 2006. The Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, to improve infrastructure and basic services in urban areas, was spearheaded by him.

He also served as a member of the Advisory Group for Integrated Development of Power, Coal, and Renewable Energy chaired by SP Prabhu, currently Minister of Railways.

Baijal had been at loggerheads with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over a bunch of governance-related issues. The biggest face-off happened when Kejriwal and his Cabinet of ministers held a dharna at the L-G office alleging that IAS officers posted with the state government were not cooperating with elected representatives. One of the main issues was the installation of CCTV cameras across the city.

Since Delhi is a Union Territory with special character, its government comprises both an elected state government and the central government through the L-G. Matters related to land, police, law and order and services come under the L-G.

In 2021, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, was passed by the Parliament, which effectively made the L-G the overall head of the Delhi government, meaning all files would have to be passed through the Lieutenant Governor.