Big blow to CM Kejriwal as President Ram Nath Kovind gives assent to Centre's Delhi Bill

In a major blow to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday (March 28) gave his assent to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) (GNCTD) Bill, that says 'Government' in Delhi means 'Lieutenant Governor'.

According to the recently-passed legislation, the "government" in Delhi means the "Lieutenant Governor" and Delhi government will now need to take opinion from the L-G before taking any executive action.

The Centre released a gazette notification to announce the presidential assent to the GNCTD bill.

The lesgilation also states that the legislative assembly shall not make any rule to enable itself or its committees to consider the matters of day-to-day administration of the national capital or conduct inquiries in relation to the administrative decisions.

"Any of the rule made in contravention of this proviso, before the commencement of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021, shall be void," it said.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Congress had opposed the GNCTD Bill with the Congress terming the bill as retrograde, anti-democratic and an insult to the people of Delhi.

Delhi CM Kejriwal also slammed the Centre regarding the Bill and said, "After being rejected by the people of Delhi (8 seats in Assembly, 0 in MCD bypolls), BJP seeks to drastically curtail powers of elected government through a Bill in LS today. We strongly condemn BJP's unconstitutional and anti-democracy move," the CM had tweeted.