AAP Vs. L-G judgement: Sheila Dikshit welcomes SC decision

Former Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit has welcomed the Supreme Court judgement in the power tussle between Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor (L-G).

"What Supreme Court has said is very clear. As per Article 239 (AA) of the Constitution, Delhi is not a state, it is a Union Territory. If Delhi Government and Lieutenant Governor don't work together then Delhi will face problems," Dikshit told ANI.

In the long-standing dispute over who the real chief of Delhi is, the apex court on Wednesday ruled that the L-G does not have independent decision-making powers and the real power must lie with the elected government.

Dikshit, who was the Chief Minister of the National Capital for 15 years until 2014, said that the positions of the Chief Minister and L-G of Delhi are very responsible and so it is expected that they work together harmoniously, keeping the disputes aside, just as her Congress party-led government did when they were in power.

"Congress ruled Delhi for 15 years, no conflict took place then," said Dikshit.

Wednesday's verdict is being considered as a legal victory for Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which moved the Supreme Court in 2016 against the High Court's order that said L-G is the administrative head of Delhi.

However, overturning that order the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that the L-G "should not act in a mechanical manner and stall decisions of the Delhi cabinet."

The tension between the AAP government and the L-G started months after the AAP swept to power in Delhi in 2015.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his colleagues alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government of stymieing the Delhi government's administrative decisions.

Just last month, Kejriwal held a sit-in protest at the visitors' room at L-G Anil Baijal's house.