Government in Delhi means Lieutenant Governor

New Delhi: A bill that seeks to make it clear that the "government" in Delhi means the "Lieutenant Governor" was passed by Lok Sabha on Monday amidst strong opposition from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party which said that the legislation is "unconstitutional".

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said the the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 has become necessary as there have been ambiguity in certain issues related to the functioning of the Delhi government and several cases were also filed in courts.

"Please do not say that it is a political bill. It is being brought to end ambiguity in certain issues as Delhi is a Union Territory. It will end certain confusion or technicality and enhance the efficiency of the administration," he said.

According to the bill, the "government" in Delhi means the "Lieutenant Governor". The bill also makes it mandatory for the Delhi government to take the opinion of the L-G before any executive action. Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party has opposed the bill.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had even urged the central government to take back the bill and said the AAP dispensation was ready to fall at the Modi government's feet for its withdrawal.

Reddy said there has been cordial relations between the central and Delhi governments since 1996 and all differences were resolved through discussions. However, since 2015, some issues have come up and cases were filed before the Delhi High Court, which also gave certain rulings.

Reddy said the court had also ruled that the L-G should be informed on executive issues of the city government. The Centre is "a specialist in abusing the rights of states" and wants to rule Delhi through the soul of the British-era Viceroy, AAP MP Bhagwant Mann said in Lok Sabha on Monday as he vehemently opposed a bill that seeks to make it clear that the "government" in the national capital means the "Lieutenant Governor".

The Congress dubbed the Bill "unconstitutional", and said it takes away certain rights of the city government which were given under a constitutional amendment, a charge rejected by the BJP.

Initiating the debate in Lok Sabha on the bill, Congress MP Manish Tewari said the measure is contrary to what the then Union Home Minister L K Advani had perceived some 18 years ago.

He said while the idea was to give the Delhi government rights to make laws on all issues except public order, police and land, the bill takes that away. Tewari was of the view that the bill seeks to prevent the city government from implementing the decisions taken by the legislative assembly. "How can you divorce a decision from its implementation," he asked.