Delhi LG Granted Expanded Powers; Potential Clash with AAP Govt Looms

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 4th Sept. The President of India has expanded the powers of Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (LG), allowing him to constitute any authority, board, commission, or statutory body under laws passed by Parliament that apply to the Delhi government. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced this on Tuesday, August 3, through an official notification.

The MHA’s gazette notification stated, “In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 239(1) of the Constitution, read with Section 45D of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 (1 of 1992), the President hereby directs that the Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, subject to the control of the President and until further orders, shall exercise the powers of the President under Section 45D(a) of the said Act for the constitution of any authority, board, commission, or statutory body, by whatever name called, or for the appointment of any government official or ex-officio member to such authority, board, commission, or statutory body.”

This move is expected to heighten tensions between the Lieutenant Governor and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi. Last year, the President had given his assent to the National Capital Territory of Delhi Government (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Arvind Kejriwal’s Opposition

The bill stated that all transfers and postings of officials would now be made by the National Capital Civil Service Authority (NCCSA), which is chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, with two senior bureaucrats from the Delhi government as members. The authority has been empowered to make decisions by majority vote, with the final decision resting with the Lieutenant Governor.

Opposing the amendment, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the central government of “disrupting” the lives of Delhi’s residents and attempting to “steal” their votes.