New Delhi, May 11 (Agency) The Congress on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict on the issue of power tussle between the Delhi government and LG over transfer and appointment of officers and termed it “seminal and path-breaking”. The SC’s five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, in a unanimous verdict on Thursday said that the LG cannot have all the administrative supervision over all issues relating to Union Territory of Delhi. The Apex court said that the LG’s powers do not empower him to interfere with the legislative powers of the Delhi assembly and elected government. “We welcome SC ruling on the powers of the Delhi government. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should now focus on good and effective governance instead of indulging in ‘blame-game’ with the LG,” said Delhi Congress chief Anil Chaudhary. He added, “The Apex court has made it clear that the elected Delhi government has the powers for the transfer and posting of officials. It should concentrate on good governance instead of stooping to low levels for petty politics.” Taking a swipe at the BJP, Chaudhary said, “BJP should not impose its ‘autocratic’ ways on the elected government through the LG to put roadblocks in the development of Delhi.”
Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters said, termed the Apex Court’s judgement “seminal and path-breaking”. “Today it may be the AAP government in Delhi and tomorrow it may be a Congress or even a BJP government in Delhi with a different government at the centre. It is the question of the autonomy of Delhi, which today’s SC judgement has restored,” Singhvi said. The MP added, “It is the victory of autonomy and the victory of the people of Delhi.” Referring to the SC’s verdict on Maharashtra ‘political crisis’, the parliamentarian also said, “Although the SC had not restored the status quo ante by not restoring the government of Udhav Thackeray, it had clearly castigated the actions of the then Maharashtra Governor and the Assembly Speaker.”‘ Attacking the BJP, Singh said, “Unholy, undemocratic, ugly face of BJP has been exposed (following Apex court’s verdict).” The Top court in its verdict said that the Governor is not to enter to the “political thicket” and decide intra-party or inter-party disputes.