Kejriwal-Jung Fresh Turf War: 10 Developments

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s decision to induct five police officers from Bihar in the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) has kicked off a fresh row, with Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung saying any such move will need his prior sanction.

Three inspectors and two sub-inspectors of Bihar Police have joined Delhi government’s ACB after a request in this regard was sent by the AAP government. The appointments come at a time when the Kejriwal government and the LG are already locked in a bitter turf war.

 

1) According to media reports, Kejriwal has sent requests to non-BJP chief ministers like Bihar's Nitish Kumar, West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik in Odisha to help fill vacancies in the understaffed ACB.

 

2) Signalling the beginning of a new battle, the L-G’s office said on Tuesday morning that it has so far received no "proposal for the deputation of such personnel from outside Delhi Police."

 

3) It added:  "The ACB  Delhi, being a police station, functions under the authority, control and supervision of the Lt Governor, a position that has also been clarified by the Ministry of Home Affairs", referring to the Centre's controversial order of May 21.

 

4) Hitting back at Jung, senior AAP spokesperson Ashutosh said: “The Lieutenant Governor is being controlled and directed by the Centre. The L-G is becoming a hurdle." He also alleged, "The BJP doesn't want a strong ACB in Delhi." BJP's Nalin Kohli countered, "There is no police function without the Delhi government. However, he (Arvind Kejriwal) has power, but he is doing nothing."

 

5) An earlier episode in the battle for control between Kejriwal and Jung is in court now, where the Delhi government has challenged the Centre's order that the L-G is the final authority on administrative matters like the appointment of bureaucrats and the Delhi Police.

 

6) The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to explain its notification at the next hearing. The High Court had earlier described the order as "suspect," but the Supreme Court has directed that future hearings should not be influenced by that remark.

 

7) The AAP’s latest move to bring in cops from Bihar and outside may further strain the already-tense ties as the Centre has maintained that the Delhi government, devoid of powers under the Constitution to deal with issues of "police" and "public order".

 

8) Kejriwal had recently conveyed to chief ministers of Bihar, UP and West Bengal among others that the Centre's notification, throwing its weight behind the Lt Governor, was "detrimental" to India's federal structure and it may happen to their states as well.

 

9) The Delhi police and the ACB have recently come face to face after some of the former's men were arrested by the anti-graft unit for allegedly accepting bribe.

 

10) The move to induct policemen from Bihar also seems to be aimed at reducing ACB's reliance on Delhi Police as till now all its officers were derived from it.