The Congress party has refuted reports claiming that it had decided to lend support to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against the ordinance promulgated by the Centre, which extends power to the lieutenant governor to make transfers and postings of the bureaucrats in the national capital.
Refuting reports claiming that the Congress party has decided to lend support to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal against Centre’s ordinance, senior party leader KC Venugopal said the Congress party had not taken any decision on the issue of the ordinance brought against the SC judgment.
“The Congress Party has not taken any decision on the issue of the Ordinance brought against the SC judgment on the powers of the Government of NCT of Delhi with respect to appointment of officers. It will consult its state units & other like-minded parties on the same,” KC Venugopal said in a tweet.
“The Party believes in the Rule of Law and at the same time does not condone unnecessary confrontation, political witch-hunt and campaigns based on lies against political opponents by any political party,” he further added.
The Congress Party has not taken any decision on the issue of the Ordinance brought against the SC judgment on the powers of the Government of NCT of Delhi with respect to appointment of officers. It will consult its state units & other like-minded parties on the same.
The statement from the party leader comes amid reports claiming that the Congress party had decided to support Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who has been marshalling the support of the Opposition parties against the ordinance promulgated by the Centre, which extends power to the lieutenant governor to make transfers and postings of the bureaucrats in the national capital.
Yesterday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar extended his support to CM Kejriwal. After meeting his Delhi counterpart CM Nitish termed the ordinance “against the Constitution”.
“How can powers given to an elected government be taken away? It’s against the Constitution. We stand with Arvind Kejriwal. We are trying to bring together all opposition parties in the country,” the Bihar CM said yesterday while speaking to the media after the meeting.
Amid the political tug-of-war between the BJP-led Centre and Delhi government over the ordinance, there is likely to be a big Opposition meeting before May 31.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday said it will organise a ‘maharally’ on June 11 against the Union government’s “black ordinance”.
The feud between the Delhi government and the Centre intensified after the Union government established the National Capital Service Authority through an ordinance to make recommendations to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor regarding matters concerning transfer posting, vigilance and other incidental matters. The setting up of a permanent body comes days after a Supreme Court order on the executive power of the city government when it comes to services.
The Delhi government was given executive power in services matters, including the transfer and posting of officers, in an important verdict by the Supreme Court on May 11.
An ordinance can be challenged before a court of law on the grounds of whether “immediate action” was required to promulgate the ordinance.
If the Delhi government goes back to the Supreme Court challenging the ordinance, the Centre would have to prove that there was a need for “immediate action” and that the ordinance was not just issued to bypass debate and discussion in the legislature.
