The statements attributed by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena with regard to orders of the Supreme Court and powers as an administrator, are misleading, patently false, fabricated and twisted to suit a particular agenda, said LG office on Friday. Earlier, addressing a press conference, Kejriwal alleged that during his meeting with Saxena, he had cited various Supreme Court and High Court judgements but the Delhi LG said that he has been referred to as the ‘Administrator’ and enjoys the supreme authority.
“All statements attributed by the CM to the LG in his Press Conference after the meeting, with regards to orders of the Supreme Court, Powers as Administrator, Supremacy over all subjects and directions to officers are misleading, patently false and fabricated and twisted to suit a particular agenda. These statements are categorically denied,” a Raj Niwas official said. The official further said, “The CM will also be well advised to function in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, Parliamentary Acts and Supreme Court’s judgments and refrain from running down an existing law just because it has been challenged in the Court of Law.”
However, the Chief Minister’s House sources said that none of these issues that the LG has raised were discussed when CM Kejriwal met with LG. “It seems LG office had prepared its statement denying what transpired between him and the Delhi CM well in advance and released it irrespective of what actually took place in the meeting,” the CM House sources added.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister Kejriwal met on Friday, amidst a tussle between the two over the control of power in the city. After the meeting, Kejriwal addressed the press conference and said, “We observed that in the past months, LG has started interfering in the government bypassing the elected ministers. And this increased a lot in recent weeks. To discuss things for clarity, I met LG and my intention was that if there is some misunderstanding or differences in understanding our law and constitution, then it can be sorted out. I even took books on the Constitution, Supreme Court judgements, Motor Vehicles Act and School Education Act. We had a very long discussion.”
Quoting the Supreme Court Bench order, Kejriwal said that LG does not have the power to take independent decisions in matters of the transferred subject. “On July 4, the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had passed a judgement that said the LG has not been entrusted with any independent decision-making power in terms of transferred subjects,” he said.
“There is no independent authority vested in LG to take decisions. In some matters, he can act as a judicial authority,” he added. He further said that the LG’s order to seal Dialogue and Development Commission Vice Chairman Jasmine Shah’s office, nominations of 10 aldermen, recovery of Rs 164 crore and trying to stop the teachers of Delhi to Finland and stop the Yoga classes were illegal and unconstitutional.
“However, he said that he has been referred to as the ‘Administrator’ and enjoys supreme authority,” Kejriwal said. In response to this, Kejriwal claimed that Saxena said, “This might be SC’s advise but I am the administrator and I can do anything.”
“I asked what do you mean sir, LG said, if anything is going wrong in the government, I have the power to issue direct orders and take decisions as an administrator I have this power,” Kejriwal added. Kejriwal also urged Saxena to keep politics aside and said that he wants to work with LG.
“I would again request LG to keep at least one good constitutional advisor who can advise him that the orders of the Supreme Court are binding and not advise. If SC is saying he cannot take independent decisions then he can and he should respect the SC order and the constitution,” Kejriwal added.
