SC Steps In to End Power Clash Between Kejriwal And Baijal On DERC Issue

The Supreme Court has urged Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Anil Baijal, to set aside political disagreements and focus on effective governance. 

In a recent ruling, the court directed both parties to collaborate and reach a unanimous decision regarding the appointment of the next Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) chief. 

During a hearing on Monday, the Supreme Court called upon Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to move beyond political disputes and prioritise the task of effectively governing the national capital. The court instructed both parties to come together and reach a unanimous decision regarding the appointment of the next DERC chief. The next hearing of this case is scheduled for Thursday.

In the previous week, the Supreme Court had announced that it would hear the petition filed by the Delhi government challenging the appointment of the DERC chairperson, as well as the state's objection to the Centre's services ordinance, on Monday. 

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud led the bench, which had previously granted the Delhi government's request on July 4 to delay the swearing-in of Justice (retd) Umesh Kumar as the new DERC chief. The court scheduled the matter for July 17, with Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra also serving on the bench.

Previously, the Delhi government filed a petition that raised concerns regarding the June 21 order of the Centre, which appointed a former Allahabad High Court judge as the chairperson of DERC (Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission).

Additionally, the petition also challenges the ordinance that grants the Centre authority to take control of appointments to various commissions and bodies under the Delhi government, under Section 45D of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Ordinance), 2023. The government's petition seeks to question the legality and implications of both the appointment and the ordinance.

During the DERC proceedings, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared on behalf of the Delhi government in the DERC case. He informed the court that the Centre is yet to submit its response to the matter. In response, the court instructed the Centre to file its response before the next hearing date. 

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