SC verdict on Centre-Delhi govt power tussle today

The Supreme Court is slated to deliver its verdict in the case involving the Delhi government and the Centre's tussle regarding administrative control over the national capital on Wednesday morning.

The top court had reserved its judgment on the plea of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government challenging the Delhi High Court's ruling, which stated that Delhi is a Union Territory and the Lieutenant Governor, its administrative head.

In November last year, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court observed that the AAP government in Delhi needs the Lieutenant Governor's nod to govern the national capital, but the LG cannot sit on files beyond a reasonable period.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan had reserved the verdict in the case after a 15-day long hearing took place.

However, the Centre told the apex court that the AAP cannot claim privileges of a state government, as Delhi is a Union Territory.

The Centre also refuted allegations of the Arvind Kejriwal-led government that the Lieutenant Governor sat on files sent by the government for their execution.

The power tussle between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor has been on since the formation of the AAP government here.

Recently, Kejriwal, along with Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other, sat on a nine-day sit-in strike at Raj Niwas, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's office-cum-residence.

Kejriwal and other ministers urged Baijal to direct the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers working under the Delhi administration to end their "undeclared strike."

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