Aiman Fatima
New Delhi: In a move signalling an end to years of legal confrontations between the Lieutenant Governor and the Delhi government, the newly elected BJP-led administration has started withdrawing multiple court cases, sources revealed on Wednesday. These cases, which emerged from long-standing disputes between the two authorities, cover key issues such as the appointment of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) chairman, funding for the Delhi Jal Board, legal representation in Delhi riot cases, teacher training programs abroad, and the high-level committee on Yamuna pollution.
Over the years, the friction between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and successive Lieutenant Governors, Najeeb Jung, Anil Baijal, and VK Saxena, led to multiple legal battles. The AAP had consistently accused the L-Gs of obstructing governance and preventing the implementation of its policies. In response, the L-Gs and the central government alleged that AAP was unwilling to cooperate on administrative matters.
The persistent power struggle is believed to have played a role in AAP’s significant electoral setback in last month’s Delhi Assembly elections. The party, which had held office for a decade, was reduced to just 22 seats in the 70-member Assembly, while the BJP secured a decisive victory with 48 seats. This marked the saffron party’s return to power in Delhi after more than 25 years, with Rekha Gupta now serving as chief minister.
One of the major flashpoints was the appointment of the DERC chairman. The AAP government strongly opposed the Centre’s involvement, fearing it could impact its popular electricity subsidy scheme. This dispute, among others, escalated into a legal battle. The issue of legal representation in the Northeast Delhi riot cases was another source of conflict. In 2020, the AAP government accused then-L-G Anil Baijal of interfering in the selection of public prosecutors, alleging that the Centre was pushing for a legal team that would align with its interests. AAP leaders had raised concerns over Delhi Police’s handling of the riots and the subsequent investigation, claiming that independent legal representation was essential for fair proceedings. The conflict extended to education as well. AAP had approached the courts when the L-G placed conditions on its proposal to send government school teachers to Finland for training. Senior advocate AM Singhvi, representing the Delhi government in the Supreme Court in 2023, had argued that the L-G was dictating the selection and process of the program, which should have been an executive decision of the elected government. The L-G’s office countered by stating that an impact assessment of previous foreign training programs was necessary before approving further expenses. Officials from the New Delhi administration confirmed that these legal battles, along with several others, will now be withdrawn to improve governance and foster a more cooperative relationship between the Delhi government, the L-G’s office, and the Centre.