Delhi govt moves SC to withdraw 7 cases challenging L-G’s authority

The BJP Government in Delhi on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking to withdraw seven cases filed during its predecessor Aam Aadmi Party Government challenging the authority of the Lt Governor on various issues, including cleaning of the Yamuna.

A Bench of justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh directed listing the application filed by the Rekha Gupta government for hearing on Friday after Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati said the new government wanted to withdraw seven cases pending in the top court.

These cases – filed during the Arvind Kejriwal government — challenged the authority of the Lt Governor in several committees, including solid waste management, Yamuna cleaning, and against the validity of Acts and Ordinances. “These matters should not trouble this court anymore," Bhati told the Bench.

“We will list all these cases for Friday and take up the application," the Bench said.

In one such case, the top court had in July 2023 stayed a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order asking the L-G to head a high-level committee constituted to deal with issues concerning the rejuvenation of the Yamuna.

The AAP Government filed several cases in the Supreme Court, including a petition challenging the validity of a law giving a wider say to the L-G to control the bureaucracy in Delhi.

The AAP government had also challenged the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023 — known as Delhi Services Act – which extended the Centre’s control of services by giving powers to the L-G over the elected government with regard to bureaucracy. The Supreme Court had on July 20, 2023 referred the issue to a Constitution Bench for a final adjudication of the contentious issue.

Besides the Delhi Services Act, there are several other cases as well. In April 2023, the Delhi Government filed a petition with regard to the appointment of the chairperson of Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Delhi