Delhi Assembly to approach SC to get back its powers

New Delhi, Aug 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi Assembly will approach the Supreme Court against the Centre's decision to curtail its powers by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2021, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said on Friday.

Addressing a press conference, Goel said that the bill, passed by both houses of the Parliament in March and notified on July 27, has "effectively derailed many Assembly committees, particularly those are dealing with issues related to the northeast Delhi riots".

He claimed that by amending the GNCTD Act, 1991, the Centre has barred the Delhi Assembly's committees from making rules to take up matters concerning day-to-day administration.

"The Assembly has decided to approach the apex court against the decision. We will not challenge the entire Act but certain provisions of it that curtails the powers of the committees of the Assembly. The call on whether or not the entire Act will be challenged will be taken by the government. I cannot comment on that aspect.

"We believe the court will restore the powers of the Assembly which have been taken away through a law which is completely undemocratic and unconstitutional. We have taken legal consultations on the matter," Goel said.

During the Assembly's monsoon session, Goel had accused the Centre of snatching away its powers, and even slammed BJP MLAs for maintaining silence on this issue.

"It was painful for me. I could not sleep since the Delhi Assembly's rights were snatched by the Centre. I was expecting BJP MLAs would come to me and say something. They are members of the Delhi Assembly, and they must have acted against GNCTD Bill, but they did nothing. It pained me," Goel said during the first day of the session.

Source: IANS