The Supreme Court of India has directed both parties to make joint arguments in the case regarding the Delhi government’s challenge to the Central Government’s rule giving priority to the Lieutenant Governor over the Kejriwal government in regulating services in Delhi. Senior counsel Abhishek Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, had requested an immediate hearing by a constitutional bench of five judges. However, the Chief Justice stated that they are currently taking cases from the old Constitution Bench and that the matter may be listed after some time. The bench has asked Singhvi and Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain to sit together and consider the legal questions to be decided by the Constitution Bench in the service dispute. They have been given four weeks to prepare their arguments.
Previously, on August 25, the apex court had asked the Delhi government to amend their petition challenging the Centre’s ordinance and convert it into a petition challenging a law instead. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2023, also known as Delhi Services Bill, was approved by Parliament in August, giving wide authority to the Lieutenant Governor over service matters. The bill became law after the assent of the President. Prior to the ordinance, the Supreme Court had granted control of all services in Delhi (except police, law and order, and land) to the Delhi government.
