President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday gave his assent to a invoice that accords primacy to Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (L-G) over the elected authorities. The central authorities introduced concerning the presidential assent to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 by a gazette notification.
According to the laws, the “government” in Delhi means the “Lieutenant Governor” and town authorities will now have to search the opinion of the L-G earlier than taking any govt motion. Parliament handed the invoice final week — Lok Sabha on March 22 and Rajya Sabha on March 24.
When the invoice was handed by Parliament, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed it a “sad day for Indian democracy”. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy had stated the amendments would lead to transparency and readability in governance in NCT of Delhi and improve public accountability.
Explaining the rationale behind the invoice, he stated the amendments have been introduced to take away ambiguities in the prevailing Act. He pressured that modifications in the regulation have been sought in the spirit of what has been stated in a Supreme Court judgment.
Reddy stated there was no political angle and the amendments are on “technical” grounds. “The proposed bill does not curtail in any manner any of the powers enjoyed by the government of NCT Delhi which are already provided in the Constitution,” he had stated.
