AAP announces week-long protest against Centre's Delhi ordinance

The AAP on Wednesday hit the road against the Centres ordinance on control of services in Delhi, with the party burning copies and symbolic effigies of the controversial order. In a statement, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said effigies and copies of the “black ordinance” will be burnt from July 6 to July 13 at various localities, streets and intersections across Delhi, serving as a powerful reminder of the peoples discontent. Notably, the development comes after the Arvind Kejriwal-led party earlier called off the protest as it had approached the Supreme Court over the matter. The party had then said that the matter was sub judice. The party, however, did not give a reason as to why the protest was revived. The Centre on May 19 promulgated the ordinance to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, with the AAP government calling the move a deception with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services.

The ordinance came a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi, excluding police, public order and land, to the elected government. It has set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings of Group A officers.

Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the May 11 verdict of the apex court.

Following the ordinance, Kejriwal has been reaching out to leaders of non-BJP parties to garner their support against the ordinance so that the Centres bid to replace it through a Bill is defeated when it is brought in Parliament.

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