More power to Delhi L-G: Bureaucrats express varied opinion on new Act

While some say it is a move in the right direction, others feel it would lead to confrontation between elected representatives rendered powerless in one stroke and an unelected appointee chosen by the Central government.

After the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a on Wednesday stating that the provisions of the would be deemed to have come into effect from April 27, The Hindu spoke to former bureaucrats on the development. The bureaucrats, who served in various capacities over careers spanning decades as part of Delhi’s administration, expressed opinions ranging from it being a move in the right direction given the current challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to questioning its timing due to its inherent potential to trigger a confrontation between elected representatives rendered powerless in one stroke and an unelected appointee chosen by the Central government. The Act gives the Lieutenant-Governor more teeth compared to the Chief Minister in administering the city.