Describing the prolonged Centre-Arvind Kejriwal turf war over who controls Delhi as an “extraordinary matter”, the Supreme Court agreed to lay down the law on whether the Lieutenant Governor (LG) can unilaterally administer the National Capital without being bound by the “aid and advice” of the elected government.
•    Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and N.V. Ramana issued notice to the Union on a batch of seven petitions filed by the Delhi government challenging the Delhi High Court’s August 4 judgment.
•    The HC had upheld the LG’s power not only over the police, land and public order but also in “services”. 
•    The judgment had effectively shrunk the Kejriwal Cabinet’s girth.
•    Mr. Venugopal requested the Bench to refer the appeals to a Constitution Bench. Justice Sikri acknowledged that the point would be decided after a detailed preliminary hearing fixed for November 15.
•    The petitions, if referred to a Constitution Bench, would have to be heard by an 11-judge Bench of the Supreme Court.
•    This is because a nine-judge Bench of the apex court had in 1996 in the NDMC versus State of Punjab case, recognised Delhi as a Union Territory for taxation purposes.
 

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