With the issue of Swati Maliwal’s “controversial” appointment as Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief being just settled, it appears that the Arvind Kejriwal Government is now heading for a fresh row with lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.
This time around, at the centre of controvery could be the Government’s decision to issue notification on new circle rates without seeking prior approval of the l-G.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has reportedly directed the Revenue Department to issue notification on new circle rates without sending any file related to the matter to the l-G citing the 2010 letter of then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in which he had quoted the Attorney General’s views.
This is not the first occasion when the Arvind Kejriwal Government has decided to pass by the Raj Niwas. Top sources told The Pioneer that the Government wants to issue notification on new circle rates without the approval of the l-G while on the other hand, officials are hesitant of issuing notification without Jung’s approval.
The file has been shuttling between Chief Secretary office and Revenue Department for the past one month.
According to sources, the Government has for the second time sent the file to the Revenue Department for issue of notification regarding new circle rates of properties that has been approved by the Delhi Assembly as a part of the Budget 2015-16.
The Revenue Department has also sent the file second time to Chief Secretary office for further course of action. The revenue department officials have categorically stated that despite P Chidambaram’s letter on circle rate in 2010, then Sheila Dikshit Government had sent the file for approval to the l-G for prior notification. “After that, circle rates were revised in 2011 and 14 and notification were issued after approval of the l-G. The circle rate is the financial matter and lieutenant Governor’s approval is needed in all case,” said the sources.
It is noted that on the first occasion, the Revenue Department had sent the file to Chief Secretary KK Sharma to seek the l-G’s approval. The Chief Secretary, instead of sending it to the l-G, had referred it back to the AAP Government, which reportedly directed the revenue department to issue a notification for new circle rates.
On the issue of circle rates, the AAP Government is of the view that in 2010 the Union Home Ministry had made it amply clear that the issue of stamp duty collections had been transferred to the State administration and it was the duty of the city Government to take a call on the matter.
In 2010, former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s Cabinet had cleared a proposal related to new circle rates. But then lieutenant Governor Tejender Khanna had opined that rates for A , B and C category should have been more than the one’s suggested by the city Cabinet.
This had prompted Dikshit to seek the Union Home Ministry’s opinion on the matter. The MHA had made it clear that the city Cabinet’s decision would be final on the matter, but its notification would be issued by the Raj Niwas on advice of the Delhi Cabinet.
Since the new proposal is related to the circle rate of agricultural land, so the new rates would also be applicable for land acquisition in the National capital. But the acquisition rates will have to be notified by the city administration’s land and building department. These rates can be changed by the l-G as he is the final authority on the issues concerning land in Delhi, claimed sources.