SC refuses to take up AAP plea on its powers to rule

In a massive setback for the Aam Admi party-led government in Delhi, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain its petition on the interpretation of powers of the Delhi goverment vis-a-vis the Centre. During the hearing, the Apex Court stated that the High Court had already reserved its judgement in the matter. Rebuking the State government, the court said that they should have withdrawn their plea in the Delhi High Court before approaching the Apex Court. The bench headed by justice Dipak Misra stated that all High Courts have their own independence under the Constitution to decide the matter. "Why should we ask the Delhi High Court to decide only on the jurisdiction and not on the merits of the case," Justice Misra questioned. Earlier, the Kejriwal government had said the High Court did not have jurisdiction to adjudicate a dispute between a state and the Centre, contending that the matter fell squarely within the Supreme Court's purview. In its petition, the AAP government alleged that it is unable to function, as the Lieutenant-Governor, at the behest of the Centre, either annuls or changes its decisions on the ground that Delhi is not a complete state. The AAP government and the Centre have been locking their horns over governance in Delhi for most of the party's tenure, leading to the ruling party seeking the apex court's intervention in resolving the matter.