Lashing out at the Centre over the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said here on Friday that he would get back the rights of the people of the national capital.

The Act replaced an ordinance promulgated by the Centre over control of services in Delhi.

Speaking in the Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal hoped that the Supreme Court’s order on the Delhi government plea, challenging the constitutional validity of the Centre’s Ordinance over control of bureaucrats, will be in his favour.

He assured the people that even a single work of people won’t stop till the top court’s order. “The BJP Government at the Centre took away the rights of the people of Delhi by enacting a law. But I assure the people of Delhi that I will get back your rights, we will not let the work of Delhi stop under any circumstances,” Kejriwal added.

The chief minister reposed trust in the Supreme Court, saying, “We will win, and the work will be done at a higher speed, but till then your work will not stop,” the Delhi Chief Minister said.

On May 11, the Supreme Court ruled that the division of administrative powers between the Union and Delhi government “must be respected” and held that the Delhi government has “legislative and executive power over services” in the national capital, including the bureaucrats, except those relating to public order, police and land.

However, the Centre on May 19 promulgated an ordinance to create an authority for the transfer and posting of IAS and DANICS officers in Delhi. Later, it brought in a Bill in Parliament to replace the ordinance which became a law when the Rajya Sabha passed it on August 7 after the Lok Sabha passed the Bill.

Kejriwal alleged that the Central government passed the Ordinance on May 19 and overruled the apex court’s verdict, which was in our favour after eight years of struggle.

“After eight years of struggle, finally the Supreme Court’s order came on May 11, 2023. The biggest judges of the top court sat and heard for three weeks. And after hearing for three weeks, they ordered that our country is a democracy and in a democracy only the elected government will have power over the bureaucracy, and not the Centre or the LG,” Kejriwal said.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Kejriwal claimed that the party would lose all seven seats in Delhi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “In the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP will lose all 7 seats. These elections will be fought on the issue of full statehood for Delhi,” he said.