Parties get 2 weeks to stake claim for Delhi
Supreme Court granted another two weeks to the BJP and Congress to file their response on forming the government in Delhi
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted another two weeks to the BJP and Congress to file their response on whether either could stake claim to forming the government in Delhi with the Assembly kept in suspended animation after the resignation of the AAP government.
The AAP filed a petition challenging the imposition of President’s rule and sought fresh Assembly polls so that a new government could be formed. It contended that keeping the Asse-mbly in suspended animation for a year would invite horse trading.
At Monday’s hearing both the BJP and Congress urged the SC to hear the matter after the Lok Sabha poll results were declared, so that they could examine if a viable government could be formed in Delhi.
A bench of Justices R.M. Lodha and Kurian Joseph, however, gave only two weeks’ time, asking both parties to respond by April 17.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal met Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung on Monday and asked him to dissolve the Assembly and order fresh polls. He blamed the BJP and the Congress for discontinuing subsidy on water and electricity from April 1.