Lt-Governor Najeeb Jung has objected to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s directive to route files pertaining to police, public order and land through him. Jung wrote to Kejriwal that Article 239 AA of the Constitution of the National Capital Territory of Delhi authorised him to have a say in matters of police, public order and land — subjects of Centre’s jurisdiction — and there was no obligation on him to route it through the CM’s office. Jung’s letter was a reply to the one sent by Kejriwal on February 26, in which the Delhi CM had said that Rule 45 of the Transaction of Business of the Government of NCT of Delhi Rules, 1993 that was amended in 1997 by the then BJP ruled Delhi government said, “Provided further that the L-G shall in respect of matters connected with public order, police and land exercise his executive functions to the extent delegated to him by the President, in consultation with chief minister if it is so provided under any order issued by the President under Article 239 of the Constitution.” [related-post] Home ministry officials said they were in a fix as this notification was issued by the then Delhi government under the chief ministership of Sahib Singh Verma. Since LG is the appointee of the President, and reports to him through union home ministry, it also consulted Centre in framing the reply to Kejriwal’s letter. “This is an issue between the Delhi government and the L-G office. According to the NCT of Delhi Act, the LG is the administrator of the government and there is no obligation on him to route the files of central subjects to the Delhi CM,” said a senior home ministry official.
