What next for capital city? Ball now in Congress court
16 Feb 2014 5:18 AM IST
The city is heading towards President Rule and fresh elections as the Bharatiya Janata Party has refused to form the government after Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Delhi chief minister. Both the two largest parties — BJP and AAP — have demanded a fresh election in the city.
According to eminent constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung has two options. Firstly, check the possibility of government formation by inviting BJP’s Harsh Vardhan and secondly, recommending President Rule in the city.
‘If President Rule is promulgated, the assembly may either be put into suspended animation or be dissolved. The president is the final authority to take decision in this regard. The answer to the question on whether the assembly will be put under suspended animation or dissolved will be answered in the order which promulgates President Rule,’ said Kashyap. He further added that if the assembly is dissolved, the elections are imminent within six months but a suspended assembly can be revived at any time by the president.
The question on new election will also be answered in the order over the President Rule, which is the order of the central government for all the practical purposes. So, politically the ball in now in the court of the Congress, which is the ruling party at the centre.
‘We will not form the government. We don’t have the numbers to form the government,’ said Harsh Vardhan immediately after Kejriwal resigned. He further reiterated that his stand is clear from day one and he doesn’t believe in flip flops like Kejriwal. BJP along with Akali Dal (Badal) has 32 MLAs in the 70-member assembly, AAP has 27, Congress has 8, JD (U) has one while one MLA is Independent. If BJP does not change its stand, L-G will have to recommend President Rule. In such a situation L-G will be the administrator of the city.
It’s important to mention here that Kejriwal, in his resignation letter to the L-G, has recommended that the assembly be dissolved and fresh elections ordered.
According to eminent constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung has two options. Firstly, check the possibility of government formation by inviting BJP’s Harsh Vardhan and secondly, recommending President Rule in the city.
‘If President Rule is promulgated, the assembly may either be put into suspended animation or be dissolved. The president is the final authority to take decision in this regard. The answer to the question on whether the assembly will be put under suspended animation or dissolved will be answered in the order which promulgates President Rule,’ said Kashyap. He further added that if the assembly is dissolved, the elections are imminent within six months but a suspended assembly can be revived at any time by the president.
The question on new election will also be answered in the order over the President Rule, which is the order of the central government for all the practical purposes. So, politically the ball in now in the court of the Congress, which is the ruling party at the centre.
‘We will not form the government. We don’t have the numbers to form the government,’ said Harsh Vardhan immediately after Kejriwal resigned. He further reiterated that his stand is clear from day one and he doesn’t believe in flip flops like Kejriwal. BJP along with Akali Dal (Badal) has 32 MLAs in the 70-member assembly, AAP has 27, Congress has 8, JD (U) has one while one MLA is Independent. If BJP does not change its stand, L-G will have to recommend President Rule. In such a situation L-G will be the administrator of the city.
It’s important to mention here that Kejriwal, in his resignation letter to the L-G, has recommended that the assembly be dissolved and fresh elections ordered.
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