On Friday, the Supreme Court granted the Delhi government permission to revise its petition, which originally contested a parliamentary law regarding service control within the national capital. The development comes after the law in question, previously an Ordinance, received parliamentary approval and became official legislation.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, presented the case, highlighting the shift from challenging the Ordinance to contesting the established law. The Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud-led bench accommodated the amendment, notably with the Centre expressing no opposition. The Centre now has a window of four weeks to provide its response to the updated plea, PTI reported.
The Parliament's recent clearance of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2023, commonly referred to as the Delhi Services Bill, was significant. This legislation paved the way for the Centre's intended guidelines on the appointment and transfer of bureaucrats in the national capital. The legislative process faced intense debate within the House and strong opposition efforts to block its passage.
Prior to this, the challenge against the initial Ordinance on service control had been elevated to a five-judge constitution bench. This recent law effectively strips the city administration of its authority over services, sparking renewed contention between the two influential power hubs.
