LG nominates BJP’s Satya Sharma to preside over Mayoral polls
Sharma is the councilor representing the Gautam Puri ward in Northeast Delhi and has presided over the mayoral polls earlier as well.
The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a response from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) politician Jasmine Shah moved to HC challenging L-G’s actions.
Saxena on November 18, had asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to restrict Shah from ‘discharging his duties’ as the vice-chairman of the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDC) and from using any privilege and facilities associated with the office.
Single-judge Justice Prathiba M. Singh said that it will examine the L-G’s response, before deciding whether he could have passed an order like that. The judge said she cannot deal with the issues without having affidavits on record and asked the respondents to file affidavits before the next date of the hearing.
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The court also sought responses from the Director (Planning) Government of NCT of Delhi and the local sub-divisional magistrate (SDM). Shah’s office was sealed late on November 17, by the SDM, Civil Lines.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain, appearing for the L-G, told the court that there are ‘larger issues’ involved in the case.
However, The Delhi government counsel told the Court that Saxena’s request to remove Shah has not been accepted. The planning department has also been ordered to cancel its order closing Shah’s office and withdrawing facilities granted to him.
The L-G’s actions followed after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Parvesh Singh Verma filed a complaint alleging Shah of acting as the official spokesperson of AAP for political gains, in violation of established procedures. The L-G had also asked the CM to sack Shah for allegedly “misusing his office for political purposes”.
Shah said the L-G’s action is “without jurisdiction, completely illegal, and unconstitutional”. The AAP politician then moved the High Court to challenge the L-G’s actions.
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