Centre forcing officers to stall payment to Delhi govt lawyers: Manish Sisodia

New Delhi: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday alleged that the BJP was pressuring the IAS officers to "stall" the payment of bills to lawyers who have appeared for the Delhi government in the Supreme Court.

Sisodia also alleged that the bureaucrats have refused to pay the fees of the Delhi government's lawyers. "Now, BJP gets officers to stall payment of bills to lawyers who appeared for Del govt in SC. IAS officers refuse to pay bills of lawyers (sic)," he tweeted.

Following Sisodia's tweet, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also said the development was "absolutely shocking" as the Centre has "lost case" pertaining to the power tussle between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor in the apex court.

"Absolutely shocking. Becoz central govt lost case in SC, is it right for them to stall payments to Del govt's lawyers, who appeared in that case, by pressurizing Del govt officers? Does it not amount to obstructing administration of justice? (sic)," he tweeted.

A government official said the general administration and finance departments have suggested that the L-G's approval was required for paying the lawyers despite Law Minister Kailash Gahlot restoring the lawyers' panel scrapped by LG Anil Baijal.

The official said there are many Delhi government lawyers whose payment has not been cleared by the departments. "There is no need of L-G's nod in clearing payments to lawyers after the Supreme Court order," he said.

On Thursday, the Delhi government reinstated its panel of lawyers in the Supreme Court and the High Court that were scrapped Baijal, days after the apex court clipped the power of the LG.

"LG had cancelled Del govt's panels of advocates in HC and SC due to which Del govt's cases in these courts were suffering. Today, Del govt restored both panels (sic)," Kejriwal had tweeted.