AAP government directs officers to expedite projects, Yechury hits out at BJP
New Delhi, July 4: Within hours of the apex court ruling that Delhi's Lt Governor was constitutionally bound by the "aid and advice" of the elected government, the Delhi government on Wednesday directed officials to expedite projects like installation of CCTV cameras and doorstep delivery of ration.
"The cabinet has directed all the officers to work as per the Supreme Court's orders and expedite the work of CCTV camera installation and doorstep ration delivery, which was earlier obstructed by the Lt. Governor," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told the reporters here.
He said that with this decision, the elected government "only needs to inform the Lt. Governor Anil Baijal and not get approval over every other project of Delhi".
Sisodia also expressed his contentment over the fact that the power which was taken from the Delhi government two years ago are now being restored and now the Delhi Government and not the LG has the power to transfer or post IAS and other officers.
"Two years back as per a High Court decision, the power to transfer and post officers was taken away from the elected government of Delhi and was reposed with the LG and other officials," he said.
"Being the Minister of Services, I have now ordered that this system be changed with immediate effect and be given back to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister," he told reporters here.
Meanwhile, Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, in his reaction to the ruling, accused the BJP of "destroying our federal structure" by misusing the role of LGs and Governors.
"The role of LGs and Governors and their misuse has been brought into sharp focus by today's judgement. BJP's charade of cooperative federalism and in reality destroying our federal structure is condemnable. LGs/Governors cannot usurp rights of an elected state government," Yechury tweeted.
A Supreme Court Constitution Bench on Wednesday ruled in favour of the Arvind Kejriwal government saying the real powers of governance in Delhi rest with the elected representatives.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
