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Delhi govt. withdraws plea on distribution of powers

The AAP-led Delhi government on Tuesday withdrew from the Supreme Court its plea seeking setting up of a larger Bench in the High Court to decide the issue of interpretation of Article 239AA which deals with the powers of Lieutenant-Governor on the governance of the Capital.

Learned senior counsel for the petitioner(s) seeks leave to withdraw the special leave petitions. Permission granted. Accordingly, the special leave petitions are dismissed as withdrawn, a bench comprising justices V. Gopala Gowda and Arun Mishra said. The Delhi government withdrew the plea after the apex court observed that the Division Bench of the High Court is already hearing the matter on a daily basis. Earlier, the High Court had refused to set up a larger Bench to decide the contentious issue with regard to the powers of the L-G and the city government. The Delhi government had moved an application in a pending case contending that since the issue involves interpretation of the Constitution and raises substantial question of law of great public importance, a larger Bench of the High Court should hear the matter.

It had said the Centre was trying to interpret Article 239AA to mean