Should MLAs sit at home? SC asks Centre to end Delhi govt deadlock

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that the Centre has to urgently decide on the demand for fresh elections in Delhi, which has been under President’s rule for the last five months.

After hearing the Aam Aadmi’s plea for conducting fresh elections in the capital, a constitution bench headed by Justice Dattu asked “Why should MLAs be sitting at home?"

The top court has asked the Centre to come back with a positive result in the next five weeks. BJP and AAP have not been able to stake claim to form the government.

Read: Aam Aadmi Party holds rally in Delhi demanding fresh elections

AAP had won 28 seats in its debut assembly elections and had later formed the government with outside support from Congress' eight MLAs.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal along with other leaders during a rally in New Delhi on Sunday. (Photo: AP)

BJP, along with its ally Akali Dal's one MLA, had won 32 seats in the 70-member assembly. The number of BJP MLAs has come down to 28 as three party legislators Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pervesh Verma have been elected to Lok Sabha.

The government led by Kejriwal had resigned on February 14 after the party's pet project, the Janlokpal Bill, could not be passed due to opposition from BJP and Congress.

President's Rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17.

The Lt Governor had not favoured dissolution of the 70-member Delhi assembly as recommended by the Council of Ministers headed by Kejriwal and kept the assembly in suspended animation.