Jan Lokpal Bill can't be tabled, says Delhi L-G

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal threatens to resign if his govt is prevented from introducing the Bill in the House

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has written to Delhi Speaker M S Dhir saying that the Jan Lokpal Bill cannot be tabled in the House. The L-G added that proper procedure has not been followed in Jan Lokpal Bill issue. 

 

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will face a crucial test on Friday when it will be tabling it's pet anti-corruption legislation, the Jan lokpal bill, amidst a deadlock in the Delhi assembly.

 

Law Minister Somnath Bharti is expected to table the Bill in the assembly at 2 p.m. today.

 

The Congress, which provides external support to the AAP government, has called for a vote on the L-G's letter to the Speaker, which will be read out in the assembly.

 

Kejriwal has said his government would resign if the bill is not allowed to be tabled in the Assembly. 

 

On Thursday, the Congress, which backs the AAP government from outside, and the BJP both disrupted proceedings on a chaotic day that saw four adjournments.

 

“We are not in a hurry to go, we will give them (the BJP and the Congress) a long rope. But if they defeat the presentation of the Jan Lokpal bill, then we will resign,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal has been maintaining that there was no need to obtain prior approval from the Centre or Lt Governor to table the bill while BJP and Congress are of the view that clearance was necessary under Transaction of Business Rules (TBR), 2002.

 

The Law Ministry has held that the Transaction of Business Rules (TBR) make it mandatory that the Lt Governor refers to the Centre every legislative proposal which may necessitate additional financial assistance.

 

The four-day session of the Assembly, which began yesterday, has been convened to pass the Jan Lokpal and Swaraj Bills. 

 

DPCC's Chief Spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said the party will not allow tabling of the "unconstitutional" Jan Lokpal Bill as the AAP government did not follow the laid down procedures.

 

"We will never allow the AAP government to table the bill. The Lt Governor has already advised the Speaker to not allow tabling of the bill. The Speaker should follow the LG's advice," Sharma said.

 

Senior BJP leader Harsh Vardhan said his party will not support any unconstitutional move by the government.

(PTI contributed to this story)