Centre-Delhi row: AAP leaders hail big win in Supreme Court

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday thanked the Supreme Court for doing justice to the people of the national capital and said that the pace of development will increase manifold.

In a tweet in Hindi, Kejriwal said, "Heartfelt thanks to the Supreme Court for doing justice to the people of Delhi. With this decision, the pace of development of Delhi will increase manifold. Democracy won."

His remarks came after the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favour of the Delhi government in a case between the state government and Centre in connection with the administrative control over transfers and postings of civil servants.

The apex court held that the Delhi government must have control over bureaucrats in administration of services except in areas outside the legislative powers of NCT.

The top court said the Lt Governor is bound by aid and advice of the NCT government except the matters relating to land, public order & police.

A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said the principle of democracy and federalism form a part of basic structure and federalism ensures survival of diverse interests and accommodates diverse needs.

The top court said the Delhi government has legislative power over "services" excluding public order, police and land.

The bench noted that if "services" are excluded from legislative and executive domain, the ministers would be excluded from controlling the civil servants who are to implement the executive decisions.

Following the Supreme Court orders, AAP Minister Gopal Rai said that the chief minister will hold a meeting with the ministers of the Delhi government at 2 p.m. to discuss future strategy.

He said, "The verdict was a slap to BJP. The work of usurping the office of Delhi government was done by the central government through Lt Governor and Home Ministry.

"The BJP government was pushing democracy into darkness by destabilizing governments. The Supreme Court has done the work of showing light," Rai added.

Meanwhile, AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the top court has slapped the central government for taking away the rights of the people of Delhi.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters along with Rai and Atishi, Bharadwaj said, "The people of Delhi bow down before CJI Chandrachud ji, he has returned the rights of the people. CJI D.Y. Chandrachud has emerged as a hero in the country."

He also said that the fight of the people of Delhi which was going on since 2014, the Chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal) had won.

"Whenever calamity befalls the country and the Constitution will be kept in abeyance, then there is an institution which will establish order and save the country - the Supreme Court. This decision will be remembered," Bharadwaj said.

Even Atishi, who is also a minister in the Delhi government said, "If the powers of the elected government are taken away, then the vote of the people has no meaning. Today the Supreme Court has slapped the BJP government. If the central government will take away the powers of democratically elected government then SC is standing to save the constitution. Today SC has saved democracy and the Constitution."

She also said that the Lt Governor has only the right to see the paper, he does not have the right to decide on it.

"Lt Governor is bound to accept all the decisions taken by the elected Delhi Government except land, law and order, Police," she added.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government had sought from the Supreme Court a clear demarcation of its power with the Centre over control of services.

In January this year, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justices MR Shah, Krishna Murari, P.S. Narasimha and Hima Kohli had reserved the order after hearing the arguments for four days.