SC verdict on Delhi Govt-LG tussle against anarchy: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday termed the Supreme Court's verdict on Delhi Government's tussle with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal as a big blow to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Tagging the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader as an "anarchist," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra at a press conference said: " Today's verdict by the Supreme Court is a big blow to Arvind Kejriwal's anarchic ways of functioning in Delhi. It is a victory for the Constitution of India and a day of defeat for Delhi's anarchic administration. It is a good thing that SC upheld the Constitution of India and gave a decision against anarchy."

Further criticising "self-declared anarchist" Kejriwal, Patra added that the former thinks that "he himself is the Constitution."

Patra said that the judgement of the verdict is that "the Constitution is sacrosanct, constitutional morality is extremely important, and anarchy has no place in the Indian democratic set-up".

Pronouncing its verdict on the ongoing tussle between the Centre and the elected Delhi Government, the apex court said that the LG's role cannot be obstructionist.

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, who headed the five-judge bench comprising A.K. Sikri, A.M. Khanwilkar, D.Y. Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan said, "L-G cannot act independently unless where the Constitution allows. L-G cannot be an obstructionist."

CJI Misra said that the L-G must work harmoniously with the state and the council of ministers have to be constantly aligned.

"L-G cannot act independently unless where the Constitution allows. L-G cannot be an obstructionist, he must take advice from the Council of Ministers. The Council has to inform the L-G of its decisions. The L-G must work harmoniously with the state, the L-G and council of ministers have to be constantly aligned. There is no space for anarchy," the CJI said.

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

Recently, Kejriwal along with Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others sat on a strike against L-G at the latter's office-cum-residence here.