Arvind Kejriwal has a new
contesting claim to his powers from Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. The two
men - one the Chief Minister of Delhi, the other the representative of the
Centre in the capital, share a working relationship soused with suspicion, mutual
distrust, and accusations of administrative over-reach. Mr Kejriwal, who won a
record victory in February, has gone to court to restrain the Lieutenant
Governor from making and enforcing decisions that are the right of an elected
government.
In the latest sign that
he's not tired of pushing back, the Lieutenant Governor has said that Mr
Kejriwal has incorrectly ordered an inquiry into an alleged scam that took
place during the first of Sheila Dikshit's three terms as Chief Minister of
Delhi. The contract to check and issue "Fitness certificates" for
public transport using CNG was allegedly manipulated; more tests were conducted
than needed, and a 100-crore scam was reportedly constructed with the collusion
of government officers.
The Lieutenant Governor says that Mr Kejriwal's inquiry is
illegal and the scam is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Mr kejriwal
has already asked the Delhi High Court to declare that the agency should
report to him, and not Mr Jung. Mr Kejriwal's administration also points out
that in 2013, the Lieutenant Governor had refused to allow investigators to
prosecute three former government officials who, according to the
Anti-Corruption Bureau, were part of the scandal.
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