Warns Delhi govt of action
New Delhi: As many as 14 bills passed by the Delhi assembly have been returned by the Home Ministry, saying proper procedures were not followed by the AAP government while adopting the legislations.
A senior Home Ministry official said since Delhi is a Union Territory, any bill it wants to adopt in the assembly has to be first sent to the central government for approval. If the nod is given, then only it can be moved for legislative approval.
When the assembly passes the bill, then it has to go to the Lieutenant Governor and again to the central government for Presidential assent. In none of the 14 bills, the Delhi government took prior approval from the central government and straightway passed the bills in the assembly. Since proper procedures were not followed, all the 14 bills were returned to the Delhi government for correction, the official said.
This came weeks after President Pranab Mukherjee refused assent to a legislation that sought to protect 21 Aam Aadmi Party MLAs, who have been appointed Parliamentary Secretaries, from disqualification for honding office of profit.
The bills which were returned in the last few weeks include the Janlokpal Bill 2015, the Minimum Wages (Delhi Amendment) Bill 2015, Delhi School (Verification Of Accounts and Refund of Excess Fee) Bill 2015, Delhi School Education (Amendment) Bill 2015, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Delhi Amendment) Bill 2015 and a Bill related to working journalists.
This development is likely to trigger a fresh dual between the AAP government and the Centre that have been locked in a face-off over various issues.
A day after Delhi Assembly summoned LG Najeeb Jung for questioning in alleged scam cases, the Centre on Friday gave a veiled warning to the AAP government of taking action if it does not work within the framework of the Constitution.
“No one should forget that Delhi is the capital of the country.
Everyone has to work within the ambit of the Constitution.
If anyone exceeds the limit, he should be dealt with as per the provisions of the Constitution,” Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told reporters here.
Rijiju was responding to a question on Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla summoning the LG to the House for “questioning” in connection with four cases pertaining to alleged scams during Sheila Dikshit rule.
The Minister alleged Arvind Kejriwal government was doing politics in the case by involving the LG. Asked about AAP’s demand that there should be a referendum on granting full statehood to Delhi, Rijiju said the city government was swayed by the BREXIT referendum. (Agencies)