Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government recently underwent a cabinet rejig where Minister Atishi has been given the additional charge of the Law Department which was earlier handled by Minister Kailash Gahlot. Presently, Gehlot has been given the charge of Women and Child Development Department. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s recommendation for the same was approved by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, said the Delhi government on December 8.
The decision to remove Kailash Gahlot from the helm of the law department came a day after LG VK Saxena recalled files related to the judicial infrastructure following a delay by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in clearing them. Atishi now oversees 14 portfolios, which stands at the highest number of portfolios a minister in the Delhi government has been allocated.
Invoking Rule 19(5) of ToBR of GNCTD, 1993, Lt Governor of Delhi VK Saxena on December 7, directed the officials to submit pending files delayed by the AAP government within three days.
These files have been pending with the Minister (Law), GNCTD, for a period of up to six months and pertain to courts, judicial infrastructure, expeditious justice delivery and the justice administration system in the capital.
The Lt Governor was vocal about the inordinate delay caused by the AAP government in disposing of these files which was in turn affecting the efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness of the judicial system in contravention of the Supreme Court’s initiatives to introduce technical innovations in the administration of justice.
ANI