AAP to new Delhi LG: Power, health, water, education still under Delhi govt
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AAP to new Delhi LG: Power, health, water, education still under Delhi govt


Conflicts between the elected government in Delhi, led by the Aam Admi Party (AAP), and the office of the Lieutenant-Governor (LG) are not new. However the new LG, V K Saxena, ruffled a few feathers when he called a meeting of the Delhi Jal Board officials, which did not go down well with AAP MLA from Kalkaji Atishi, who called it “an infringement on the rights of the elected government”.

In a message issued on Twitter, Atishi said, “On Monday, the new L-G, Mr V K Saxena, called a meeting of Delhi Jal Board officials and issued directives. Mr Saxena has been appointed recently so he may not know Delhi and its governance structure. I want to tell the LG that as per the Constitution of India, the Delhi L-G is supposed to look after three areas – land, law and order and police. Even the Supreme Court is very clear about it.”

Ever since AAP came to power in Delhi in 2015, it has been a rocky ride for the AAP-led Delhi government and the office of the lieutenant governor with tussles over issues such as the transfer of bureaucrats, control over the Anti-Corruption Branch and even an assault on the chief secretary.

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The L-G became the operative head of the Delhi government last year after an amendment to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act was passed. Now, all files and decisions require his assent and advice. The three areas—land, law and order and police—however, still remain exclusively under the L-G’s control.

Speaking further on the LG’s decision to call a meeting of Jal Board officials, Atishi spoke of recent changes to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, which resulted in reunification of the three municipal areas. She said this could be interpreted to mean that the MCD also comes under the L-G’s control, but areas such as power, health, water and education still remain under the control of the elected government.

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