In a major blow to the AAP chief Aravind Kejriwal, the Supreme Court has issued notice to the Delhi government and also stayed the observation of Delhi HC on Anti Corruption Branch's jurisdiction over Delhi Police. The apex court has also held that Delhi HC order on ACB's jurisdiction in Para 66 of the order is irrelevant. The legal tussle between the Centre and the Delhi government over the notification issued by the Home Ministry clipping the powers of the AAP dispensation has reached the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court.

The Central government’s petition came before a vacation bench, comprising Justices A K Sikri and UU Lalit and is represented by Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, who presented before the bench that the observations made by the High Court has led to total uncertainty and made the everyday administration of national capital difficult.

The petition presented before a bench of Justices BD Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva, said, "The Delhi government has decided to move against the Ministry of Home Affair's (MHA's) May 21 notification. As per the notification, the LG would have jurisdiction over matters connected with services, public orders, police and land and services of bureaucrats. Allowing him discretionary powers to seek the opinion of the CM," it said.

Our work in Delhi is being hindered because they don't want the magic that happened in Delhi polls to repeat in other places, says AAP leader Ashutosh.

Constitution fixes everyone's responsibility, one man wanting everything to be according to his whims and fancies are causing huge harm to Delhi said Satish Upadhyay BJP's Delhi chief. Looks like AAP decided to go for confrontation rather than development. The Court will give its view, he added.

AAP leader and MLA Somnath Bharti said that it is unlikely that the court has stayed a court's observation. "Never heard SC stay a High Court order. We will see the order. It is not a setback for AAP but a setback for the people of Delhi. It is unfortunate if at all the central government tries to save the corrupt officers on the basis of this order."

Delhi Chief Minister is reaching out to non-BJP chief ministers to mount political pressure on the Modi government even as the matter reached the court. He is conveying to chief ministers of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal among others that the Centre’s notification, is detrimental to India’s federal structure and it may happen to their states as well.

By Premji