Supreme Court to Hear Delhi Government's Plea Against Delhi Services Ordinance As AAP Protests Intensify

Today, on July 4th, the plea submitted by the Delhi government questioning the constitutionality of the Delhi Services Ordinance is set to be heard by the Supreme Court of India. Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, along with Justices Narshimha and Manoj Misra, will form the bench overseeing the proceedings. According to an official notification issued by the Supreme Court of India, the hearing for the plea is slated for 10:30 am as per the schedule.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government strongly criticized the decision to issue the ordinance, deeming it "illegal and unconstitutional." Their plea seeks an immediate suspension of the ordinance, arguing that it undermines the elected government's authority over its civil services.

To protest against the ordinance, the AAP government, with Arvind Kejriwal at the forefront, announced a phased campaign that involves burning copies of the ordinance.

Furthermore, the Delhi government's petition alleges that the ordinance displays disrespect towards the elected government while pretending to involve the chief minister. It asserts that the Centre's ordinance is in violation of the principles of federal and democratic governance outlined in Article 239AA, which defines the governance structure of Delhi, as reported by English Jagran.

The ordinance was introduced by the Central government on May 19 with the intention of reducing the powers of the elected government in Delhi. Its issuance came shortly after the Supreme Court granted control of services in Delhi to the elected government, with the exception of police, public order, and land-related matters.

The objective of the ordinance, as reported by English Jagran, is to establish a National Capital Civil Service. While parties within the NDA alliance expressed their support for the ordinance, several other parties, including the AAP, rejected it. Arvind Kejriwal has been reaching out to opposition parties nationwide, seeking their backing and arguing that the ordinance will undermine the federal structure of the country.