 "Constant battle: Why is Delhi L-G Saxena upset with AAP's ministers now?")
The feud between Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government escalated on Monday, with the L-G filing a complaint to the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding AAP ministers' refusal to attend a scheduled meeting. Conversely, the Delhi government criticised the L-G Secretariat for what it described as "total confusion" within the L-G's office.
In his letter to the home ministry, Saxena expressed dissatisfaction with AAP ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gehlot, and Atishi for declining meetings summoned by him to discuss health infrastructure and the summer action plan, as per reports.
According to L-G Saxena, the ministers declined the meetings, citing the ongoing model code of conduct as the reason, despite his belief in the importance of maintaining routine governance activities.
Responding to Saxena's letter, the Delhi government criticised the apparent inconsistency within the L-G's office regarding its jurisdiction over matters transferred to the elected government as per the Constitution. It accused the L-G office of providing trivial excuses despite the urgency of the situation.
"The elected government has repeatedly demanded prompt investigations into the actions of officers who are acting against the interest of Delhi's citizens, but has only received frivolous excuses from the L-G's office," the Delhi government said in a statement.
Additionally, the AAP government emphasised the urgency of investigating officers acting against Delhi citizens' interests and criticised the L-G's office for providing inadequate responses despite repeated requests for action.
Appealing for concrete actions beyond social media statements, AAP called the L-G office for prompt investigations and decisive measures against officers disregarding ministerial directives. The party reiterated its demand for immediate inquiries into officers' actions and expressed frustration over receiving trivial excuses from the L-G's office instead of tangible actions.
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Constant struggle between AAP and L-Gs
The war of words between the Delhi government, led by currently-imprisoned Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the L-G office, is not new. The conflicts between the Lieutenant Governor and the AAP government have been crippling Delhi's development for the past eight years, with three different L-Gs and several court orders failing to settle the disputes. The tussle started with former L-G Najeeb Jung, followed by Anil Baijal, and is continuing now with Saxena.
Issues of division of power between AAP and L-G
The main issues have revolved around the division of authority in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, with the AAP government and Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena having differing views on the matter. The AAP government has maintained that Delhi is neither a Union Territory nor a State but something in between, with a legislature and a Council of Ministers with limited powers.
This has led to disagreements over various issues, such as the election of the mayor and deputy mayor for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, demolition drives in the city, the alleged refusal to cooperate with the AAP government's proposal to train teachers in Finland, and non-payment of salaries to mohalla clinic staff.
L-G recommended CBI to investigate the Delhi-excise policy case
One of the most significant flashpoints between the L-G and the AAP government was the implementation of the Delhi excise policy. The AAP government had accused the L-G of meddling in the day-to-day affairs of the Delhi government and issuing orders on practically every subject to the chief secretary, bypassing the government.
The L-G, on the other hand, recommended that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigate the irregularities in the formulation of the excise policy, leading to the arrest of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and the summoning of Kejriwal.
In March this year, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had approached the Delhi High Court, alleging that the AAP government in Delhi deliberately misled the court and maligned his office by presenting twisted and distorted facts in a matter regarding non-conforming areas to implement the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
AAP accused L-G of delaying the implementation of schemes
The AAP government has also accused the L-G of delaying the implementation of several schemes, including 'Red Light On Gaadi Off', which aimed to curb vehicular pollution, and the extension of power subsidies to consumers. The L-G office in 2022 had also restricted the duties of Jasmine Shah, former vice-chairperson of a Delhi government think tank, over allegations of misusing his office for political purposes.
No role in approving water, financing other schemes: L-G
The war of letters between Delhi's L-G and Kejriwal intensified in February 2024, with the L-G stating that he had no role in the approval of schemes under the water, finance, and urban development departments, which come directly under the Delhi government.
Kejriwal, in response, maintained that he had discussed the one-time settlement scheme for unpaid water bills with the L-G and that the L-G exercises all power over officers through control over services and vigilance.