Delhi's Legal Control Battle: Supreme Court Showdown

The Delhi government has filed a plea with the Supreme Court against the central government's decision granting the Lieutenant Governor authority to appoint government lawyers. The plea challenges memorandums that undermine the elected government's capacity to select its counsel, arguing it hinders their representation of Delhi's electorate.

The Supreme Court is set to hear a significant plea on Monday filed by the Delhi government. The plea challenges the central government's decision to give the Lieutenant Governor (LG) power to appoint government lawyers.

A bench consisting of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar is expected to hear the case. The Delhi government, in its submission to the court, opposes a 2017 office memorandum from the union home ministry and an order by the LG's office dated February 16.

The plea emphasizes that the elected government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi should control the engagement of counsel, contending that choosing advocates is a crucial right protected by the constitution. It argues that preventing the elected government from selecting legal representation hinders its ability to represent Delhi's electorate.

(With inputs from agencies.)