New Delhi, March 15 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government of trying to curtail the powers of the elected Delhi government through the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill - 2021, moved in the Lok Sabha.
Kejriwal, while referring to the GNCT Bill-2021, said the BJP introduced the Bill because it was rejected by the people in the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections.
"After being rejected by the people of Delhi, the BJP seeks to drastically curtail powers of the elected government through a Bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The GNCT Bill is contrary to the Constitutional bench's judgement. We strongly condemn BJP's unconstitutional and anti-democracy move," Kejriwal tweeted.
The Delhi Chief Minister's reply came soon after the Centre tabled the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
The new bill, which is an amendment to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, seeks to better define the role of the Council of Ministers and the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) in Delhi.
As per reports, the Bill is proposed to give more powers to the L-G. The Bill would most likely revive the tussle between the Centre and the Delhi government.
In February this year, when the Union Cabinet had approved the proposed amendments to the Government of NCT of Delhi Act, the Arvind Kejriwal government had called it a murder of constitutional democracy.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Centre appointed Delhi L-G had a falling out due to this constitutional power tussle for the last six years.
( With inputs from IANS )
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