She Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain Delhi government’s petition on interpretation of powers of Delhi government vis a vis Centre.
ANI reported that during the hearing, the Apex Court said that that the High Court had already reserved its judgement on the matter.
The Supreme Court criticised the state government stating that they should have withdrawn their plea in the Delhi High Court before approaching the SC.
The bench headed by justice Dipak Misra said that the High Courts had their own independence under the Constitution to decide the matter.
“Why should we ask Delhi HC to decide only on jurisdiction and not on the merit on the case,” Misra said.
Arvind Kejriwal government had argued that the HC did not have jurisdiction to adjudicate a dispute between a state and the Centre, contending that the matter fell squarely within the SC’s purview.
Delhi government’s lawyer Indira Jaising had told the court that there was a “virtual paralysis” in Delhi because of the fight over jurisdiction.
She said, “The issue whether Delhi is a state or not needs to be settled.”
Both Delhi government and the Centre have locked horns over administrative powers in the national capital. This is since February 2015, when Aam Aadmi Party won historic mandate in Delhi, reducing the BJP’s seats to just three.
