17.2.14

President's Rule in Delhi

The Union Cabinet has decided to impose President’s Rule in Delhi and keep the assembly in suspended animation, accepting the two recommendations of Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung after Arvind Kejriwal resigned as chief minister on Friday.
Jung’s recommendations are an outright rejection of the outgoing government’s proposal to dissolve the assembly.
Kejriwal criticised Jung’s decision to not recommend dissolution of the House, saying the latter was “openly flouting” the decisions taken by a majority government. “I am questioning the logic of his [ Jung’s] decision [of not recommending dissolution of the House],” Kejriwal said, adding that the Constitution says that he is bound by the decision taken by the Cabinet of a majority government.
The Cabinet met at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s residence to discuss the future of Delhi Assembly.
On Saturday, Jung is believed to have sent a report describing the situation in the national capital along with the resignation of the Delhi cabinet to President Pranab Mukherjee.
As the Cabinet has accepted LG’s suggestion of keeping the assembly in suspended animation, the option for any political party or a combination of parties to try and form a government is open.
If the Cabinet had decided to dissolve the assembly, there would have been elections for the Delhi assembly along with the Lok Sabha elections.
Kejriwal resigned on Friday shortly after a motion to introduce the anti-corruption Jan Lokpal Bill in the 70-member Delhi assembly was defeated in the face of united opposition from the Congress and BJP MLAs. Jung had advised the assembly against debating the Jan Lokpal Bill, which he said should have been cleared by the central government.
Kejriwal’s predecessor Sheila Dikshit said Kejriwal had no option but to resign after losing majority on the floor of the assembly. “It is not a matter (of choice), so he quit.” 

No comments: