Delhi being the national capital has vital institutions like Parliament, Supreme Court, Army headquarters, foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations which give it a special status for governance under the Lieutenant Governor, Delhi High Court today said.
The High Court referred to the recommendations of the Balakrishnan Committee which had in 1989 favoured continuance of Lt Governor to "preserve" the ultimate responsibility of administration on the President so that in case of conflict between the State and Union subjects, there would be no "prejudice the national interest".
Keeping in view the stated position of Delhi, a special status for governance of the national capital was granted under Article 239AA, incorporated through 69th amendment in the Constitution, the High Court noted, while referring to the recommendations of the Balakrishnan Committee which was averse to giving full statehood to Delhi.
The panel had said that if the administration of the national capital was divided into "rigid compartments" of state field and union field, then conflicts are likely to arise in several vital matters, particularly if the two governments are run by different political parties.
It had said that conflicts may, at times, "prejudice the national interest".
Taking into account the submissions advanced by parties during the hearing, a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said, "The city is of vital importance to Central Government as it is the seat of a large number of important and vital institutions such as Head of the State, National Legislature, National Executive, Apex Judiciary, Heads of Armed Forces, Para Military Forces, Foreign Diplomatic Missions, International Organizations, Important Educational, Medical and Cultural Centres, etc.
"It reflects the ethnic cultural and socio-political diversity of the country and acts as a window for the rest of the world. The object of the amendment in view of the stated position of Delhi was to preserve the ultimate responsibility of administration on the President," it said.
