The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the Delhi government has the power to post and transfer officers, except those in the police and public order departments. The court’s ruling is a major victory for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which had been locked in a long-running battle with the Lieutenant Governor (LG) over control of the bureaucracy.
The court’s decision was unanimous, with all five judges of the Constitution Bench agreeing that the LG does not have the power to interfere in the day-to-day functioning of the Delhi government. The court also said that the LG cannot act independently and must always act on the advice of the elected government.
The court’s ruling is a major setback for the BJP-led central government, which had been supporting the LG in his tussle with the AAP government. The central government had argued that the LG is the “real executive” of Delhi and that the elected government has only limited powers.
The court’s ruling is likely to have a significant impact on the functioning of the Delhi government. It will now be able to post and transfer officers without the interference of the LG. This will give the government more control over the bureaucracy and will enable it to implement its policies more effectively.
The court’s ruling is also a victory for democracy. It has upheld the principle that the elected government is the supreme authority in a democracy. The court has sent a clear message to the central government that it cannot interfere in the functioning of the elected governments of the states.
