Bracing for face-off with the Centre, the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution demanding withdrawal of Ministry of Home Affairs’ notification curtailing the powers of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The resolution was moved by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Three Opposition members led by Vijendra Gupta walked out of the House during the voting. The resolution sought restoration of the 1993 original powers of Delhi ACB.
Moving the resolution, Sisodia said as per MHA’s notification issued on July 23, 2014, ACB can register or probe corruption-related cases which only involve the officials of Delhi Government. It cannot register or probe corruption cases against any officials of DDA, municipal corporations, Delhi Police, he added.
“In every State, ACB can register or probe corruption cases against any person living in particular State’s territory, but in Delhi, ACB cannot probe the case against officials of DDA, corporations and police except officials of Delhi Government,” Sisodia said.
Saying the notification is a hurdle in the fight against corruption, Sisodia came down heavily on the Narendra Modi Government for restricting powers to the ACB. In the last 22 years, no Government at Centre had done such a thing, he said.
“The people of Delhi have given historic mandate to fight against corruption and the said notification has limited the scope of ACB only to the officers and employees of the Government of Delhi,” Sisodia alleged.
The Deputy Chief Minister said said the Home Ministry and the Central Government should not have tampered with the ACB of Delhi when the State was under President’s Rule. What was further surprising the Central Government did not make public the reasons for curtailing the powers of this anti-corruption mechanism, he said.
Experts say that it’s a tussle of power between the Delhi Government and the Centre as all powers are vested either in the MHA or in the Central Government. As far as Delhi Government employees are concerned they are governed by UT cadre.
AAP MlAs Somnath Bharti, Nitin Tyagi, Kapil Mishra, Pravin Kumar, Anil Bajpayee, Shiv Charan Goel and Pramila Tokas also spoke in support of the resolution while BJP leader Vijendra Gupta and Jagdish Pradhan questioned.
Criticising the move, Gupta said that there is no legal sanctity of this resolution. The resolution was not brought in the good spirit and if this Government has any problem or objections of MHA’s notification, they can meet the Home Minister or the Prime Minister and urged to withdraw it. “But the Kejriwal Government wants confrontation with Centre for its failure,” Gupta said.
Questioning the Government’s motive, Gupta asked why this Government is only interested to take action against the Central Government employees. “Their action raises serious questions and their hidden agenda,” he said.