The likelihood of AAP Government’s Jan lokpal Bill seeing the light of the day was further reduced with a major face-off between the Government and Opposition parties in Delhi Assembly on Thursday. As developments unfolded, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared to find an exit route as he accused the BJP and the Congress of uniting together to topple his Government. No serious business could be taken up on first day of the Assembly session even as the House was adjourned four times amid huge uproar over the alleged misbehaviour of law Minister Somnath Bharti with African nationals. Kejriwal has already said he would quit as Delhi Chief Minister if his Government failed to pass the Jan lokpal Bill.
What adds strength to this likelihood is the Government’s failure to deliver on all its promises, including 50 per cent power subsidy. Moreover, the Appropriation Bill for power subsidy, which was listed for Thursday, could not be taken up amid ruckus. Sources said the Government deliberately allowed the standoff with the Congress and the BJP to aggravate so that it could find an escape route from its failures. Immediately after the House proceeding was adjourned for the day, Kejriwal sought to blame the Congress and the BJP for ‘non-performance’ of the Government and said their leaders were colluding against the Government. “The Congress is not supporting the Government but the BJP. The two parties have joined hands to prevent the Government from bringing lokpal Bill,” he said.
As the Government failed to find its way amid protest by the BJP and the Congress against Bharti, Education and Urban Development Minister Manish Sisodia demanded live coverage of the proceedings which, sources said, was rejected owing to procedural difficulties. Sources said this move was also aimed at gaining media mileage while affixing blame on the BJP and the Congress.
Sources said if the Government failed to pass the lokpal Bill, it will be a moral defeat for the Government and this could well pave the exit route for Kejriwal and his Government. It is for this reason, the Government is adamant to introduce the Bill without approval from the Centre. Delhi’s lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung has also directed the Assembly Secretariat against tabling the Bill without Centre’s nod.
“The Transaction of Business Rules requires the Delhi Government, while introducing any law, to take permission from the Centre. It will be termed unconstitutional if the Government decides to go ahead with the Bill without Centre’s approval. Even if the Government manages to pass the Bill in the House, the l-G will send the Bill to the Centre where the Bill will be vetted by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Union law Ministry. Since the Parliament has already passed the Jan lokpal Bill, the AAP’s version of Delhi lokpal Bill will infringe upon the Centre’s legislation and hence, will be liable for rejection,” experts said.
With the Congress and the BJP aggressively attacking the Government, the fate of its Swaraj Bill is also uncertain. The Government also plans to introduce Swaraj Bill in the Assembly in this session only.