In Battle With Centre, Delhi Govt Gets Control Over Services; AAP Hails SC Verdict

In a major win for the Arvind Kejriwal-led government, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the Delhi government has legislative and executive powers over services except for public order, police and land. The five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud delivered a unanimous verdict and said that the elected government needs to have control over the administration.

"Further expansion of the Union's power will be contrary to the Constitutional scheme... Delhi is similar to other states and has a representative form of government," the bench, which also comprised Justices MR Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha, said in its verdict over the contentious issue of administrative control over services between the Centre and the Delhi government.

The bench refused to agree with the 2019 judgment of Justice Ashok Bhushan that the city government has no power over the issue of services.

The primacy of the Centre in administrative issues would abrogate the federal system and the principle of representative democracy it said, adding if 'services' are excluded from the legislative and executive domain, then ministers would be excluded from controlling civil servants.

Democracy and federalism are part of the basic structure of the Constitution, CJI Chandrachud said while reading out the judgment in a packed courtroom.

The order also said if officers stop reporting to ministers then the principle of collective responsibility is affected and added that in a democratic form of governance, the real power of administration must rest on the elected arm of government.

The bench said the Union government's power in matters where both the Centre and States can legislate is limited to ensure that the governance is not taken over by the Central government.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hailed the Supreme Court's verdict on the Centre-Delhi government services row and called it a 'big victory'.

Welcoming the verdict, the AAP said in a tweet in Hindi, "The elected government will have the power of transfer-posting of officers. Officers will work only through the elected government."

The Lt Governor will have no power over the officers to stop the work of the people of Delhi, the party said.

AAP Rajya Sabha Raghav Chadha called the verdict a 'landmark decision' and said it sends a stern message.

"Satyamev Jayate. Delhi wins. Hon'ble Supreme Court's landmark judgment sends a stern message that officers working with the government of Delhi are meant to serve (the) people of Delhi through the elected government and not unelected usurpers parachuted by Centre to stall governance, namely LG," Chadha said.