Amidst Leader of the Opposition V.K. Malhotra giving a notice of breach of privilege against chief minister Sheila Dikshit for her remarks against the lieutenant governor, Ms Dikshit on Friday, while rejecting claims of constitutional crisis, called upon the Centre to nullify an order issued in 2002 which gives “unbridled” power to the lieutenant governor.
Prof. Malhotra in his notice stated that under the Rule 264-2(F) of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business “a member while speaking in the House shall not reflect upon the conduct of the President or any governor or any Court of Justice”. The chief minister had commented on the power exercised by the L-G which was coming in the way of bringing in force the Cabinet decision on the new circle rate in the city.
Ms Dikshit on Friday stated that the government had to take a strong position on the issue (power of the lieutenant governor) as “a great difference of opinion” came around and when a decision of the Cabinet was “returned twice” only on the basis of BJP’s complaint. “We could have been called over. The lieutenant governor has the perfect right to call us over, to call me over, to call the minister over, sort out (the differences) which we have done many times,” said Ms Dikshit, while stating that she is not making any demand for the removal of the lieutenant governor. She added that the city government is incurring a loss of `3 crores daily for non-implementation of the new circle rates.
Lieutenant governor Tejendra Khanna had returned twice the file pertaining to the circle rates insisting reportedly that his recommendations for revision of the rate for certain colonies should be accepted by the government.