Kejriwal's warning to officers after Supreme Court verdict: ‘Have to pay for their deeds’
The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of the elected Delhi government saying it will have power to control all services except law and order and land.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday hailed the Supreme Court's verdict on the Centre-Delhi services row as “historic” as he targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a 2015 notification by the Union home ministry that claimed control over services in the national capital. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said the Delhi government did good work even as he was thrown in the water with his hands tied by the Centre.
The chief minister thanked the five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, for the unanimous verdict in favour of the Delhi government and assured that the speed of developmental work in the national capital will increase manifold.
"We gave a model of education to the country. The work will happen at 10 times speed it was happening earlier. Delhi will now present a model of able governance to the entire country," he said.
Kejriwal also indicated a major reshuffle in the bureaucracy in the coming days and said the officers who put obstacles in the Delhi government's work “will have to pay for their deeds.” The chief minister stressed that the officers who are “efficient, honest, responsive and compassionate” will be given the opportunity to serve the people of Delhi.
“There will also be an overhaul of the administrative system. The entire system is rotten. We will create a system that is accountable and responsible towards the public,” he said.
Kejriwal said he will also meet LG VK Saxena later in the day to seek his blessings.
On being asked about the Anti-Corruption Branch, he said, "The ACB is not with us but vigilance will now be with us. Disciplinary proceedings can be initiated against officers who do not work properly."
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the Delhi government has legislative and executive powers over services except for public order, police and land. Asserting that an elected government needs to have control over the administration, the apex court said the Union territory of Delhi has "sui generis (unique) character" and refused to agree with the 2019 judgement of Justice Ashok Bhushan that the Delhi government has no power over the issue of services.
