Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung (Source: PTI photo) Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung (Source: PTI photo)

The ongoing tussle between Delhi’s Lieutenant-Governor and Chief Minister escalated on Sunday, after the L-G directed that the CM’s instructions to government departments to not send files to his office be withdrawn.

Also Read: Jung-Kejriwal faceoff: Don’t bother LG with all files, orders CM

The Indian Express reported in its edition of May 2 that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had asked all departments that they “should not bother the office of the L-G” by sending him files.

In response, L-G Najeeb Jung has underlined that the L-G’s office is the final authority for the approval of all laws enacted by the assembly, and decisions taken by the government. He has reminded officials that they must follow the Constitution and relevant laws and rules in the discharge of their duties.

The “clarification” issued by the L-G’s office said that the “Lt-Governor has informed the Chief Minister, drawing his attention to the relevant provisions of the Constitution, the GNCTD Act 1991 and the Transaction of Business Rules 1993”.

These, the L-G’s office said, “underscore the relationship between the Lt-Governor’s and the Chief Minister’s offices, (and) that the role of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers is to aid and advise the Lt-Governor where the latter is entitled to act solely on his own discretion and all files relating to matters for which Legislative Assembly can make law should come to the Lt-Governor for final approval”.

The note added that “the Lt-Governor has instructed that the directions issued to the officers be withdrawn”, and that “he has made it incumbent on all officers to follow the Constitution, GNCTD Act 1991 and the Transaction of Business Rules 1993, in letter and in spirit”.

Earlier in February, the Chief Minister had written to the L-G that as per rules, matters related to the reserved subjects of police, public order and land must pass through him. The L-G had responded in April, saying he was not obliged to do so.

As reported by The Indian Express on Saturday, in his latest order, issued April 29, Kejriwal told all departments that it had been decided that files pertaining to all subjects transferred to the Delhi assembly under article 239 AA(3)(A) of the Constitution shall be decided at “appropriate level up to the office of the Hon’ble Chief Minister without bothering the office of the L-G”.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that the order had been issued to speed up governance.

“We need officials to do work. There is no point in their carrying files from office to office. This should not be seen as a turf war. It is not.”

Both the government and Aam Aadmi Party declined to comment on the L-G’s response on Sunday.

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