The Delhi government has termed the three-member expert committee set up the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) to scrutinise its 400-odd files as “illegal”, and requested it to “halt” the work as the matter challenging the supremacy of the L-G is pending in the Supreme Court.
The move comes as the Delhi government has observed that all the “important works” are held up as the files are with L-G Najeeb Jung.
L-G has no power to set
up panel, says Sisodia
At a presser, deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that in the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday it was found that the “L-G has no power to constitute an expert panel to examine files of the Delhi government and it is illegal”.
“As the members of panel are eminent persons, we request them to stop the scrutiny of our files till the Supreme Court rules in the matter,” Mr. Sisodia said. The final hearing of the matter has been fixed for November 15, 2016
Last month, Mr. Jung had set up the panel to examine around 400 files pertaining to government decisions taken in the last 18 months without his approval.
Mr Jung’s office had said that the move was to clear all “infirmities and irregularities” in the files as the decisions had violated the laid down norms and procedures.
‘Ministers in the dark’
The appointment of the panel comprising former CAG V. K. Shunglu, former Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami and ex-Chief Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar, came after the August 4 High Court order that had pronounced the L-G as the administrative head of Delhi.
The Cabinet noted that the panel was also summoning officers in connection with its examination of these files and in the entire process, the respective Ministers are being kept in dark.
The Delhi Cabinet also resolved that Mr. Sisodia will write to the members of the panel to convey the concern of the Cabinet.
