Amid the face-off between Arvind Kejriwal government and Lt Governor VK Saxena over the appointment of the city's power regulator chief, the Supreme Court today issued a notice to Delhi government and centre and deferred the oath ceremony for the post.
The court said the Lt Governor should not ask the Aam Aadmi Party government to administer oath to Justice (retired) Umesh Kumar for the post of Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission's (DERC) chairman till the next hearing on July 11.
This comes amid the centre and Delhi government's tug-of-war on who will control the capital's bureaucrats. The Supreme Court in May ruled that it is the elected government that should exercise control over Delhi's officials and that the Lt Governor's authority will be restricted to public order, law and land. Soon after, the centre brought an ordinance to retain control over Delhi bureaucrats, prompting the Arvind Kejriwal government to move Supreme Court.
The Delhi government filed a separate petition to challenge the Lt Governor's move to appoint the chairman of the power regulator. It alleged that it is an attempt by the BJP-ruled centre to stop power subsidies extended to the capital's residents by the AAP government. In response, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said "no one is stopping free power".
Mr Mehta also alleged that Delhi government is intentionally delaying the administration of oath to the new DERC chief.
Earlier, the Lt Governor had asked the Delhi government to administer Justice Mehta, a former Allahabad High Court judge, the oath of office by 10 am today. Mr Saxena, a central appointee, had told Mr Kejriwal that the retired judge is available for the oath ceremony only till 10 am.
However, senior AAP leader and Delhi Power Minister Atishi faced a "health issue" and the oath ceremony had to be postponed.
"It seems bizarre to say the least that a notification of the President of India issued way back on 21st June, 2023 is not being given effect to, on account of unavailability of the Minister, in today's digital age," the Lt Governor said in his letter to the Chief Minister.