Delhi Residence Controversy: LG Office Accuses AAP Of Violating Protocols

A controversy has erupted in Delhi over the transfer of the official residence at 6 Flagstaff Road, previously occupied by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Lieutenant Governor's Secretariat has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of deliberately flouting established norms during the property's transition to current Chief Minister Atishi.

The LG's office states that Kejriwal relinquished the property to the Public Works Department (PWD) on October 9, after which it was officially reassigned to Atishi on October 11. The Secretariat emphasizes that the PWD, as the custodian of government estates, follows standard procedures akin to those used for high-ranking officials nationwide.

According to the LG's office, both Kejriwal and Atishi violated protocols by directly transferring the residence keys through personal staff, bypassing official channels. This action, they claim, was an attempt to portray the government property as a private asset.

The controversy intensified when AAP leaders, including Atishi, publicly accused the Lt. Governor of political interference in the allotment process. However, the LG's office refutes these claims, stating that the PWD, under AAP government control, managed the entire process without the Lt. Governor's involvement.

The statement from the LG's office also highlights that the building lacks proper sanction from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, rendering it "patently illegal" without a completion certificate.

This dispute underscores the ongoing tensions between Delhi's elected government and the Lt. Governor's office, reflecting broader issues of governance and political rivalry in the national capital.