Referendum seems to be the flavor of the season – from Greece to Delhi. The government wants Kejriwal Delhiites to decide whether the state capital of a state, a controversial move that could further strain ties with its bitter Center should be granted.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has requested the department of urban development to reach a feasibility report that specifies a timeline, sources said.
. “Making a referendum in Delhi Draft legislation and create mechanisms referendum,” the note says CM – HT has a copy of it – addressed to the urban department and circulated to other sections.
The CM has also asked the urban and legal departments to accelerate work on a bill for statehood for Delhi, which will be sent to the Centre for approval.
“The government is very interested in having the election commission conduct the referendum, as they have more weight. The Law Department has also been asked to discuss the legal issues,” said an official. “If that option is not available, the government is ready to carry out on their own.”
Delhi has a unique situation in the Union of India. It is a union territory with a legislature that limits the power of government in Delhi.
Law and order, including the police, land and civic bodies are controlled by the government of the Union, which has led to a raging turf war with Kejriwal government.
The sources said the referendum plan was discussed by Kejriwal at a recent meeting with his ministers. He asked the department to urban several options available to the government to carry out the referendum.
While statehood for Delhi was part of the manifesto Aam Aadmi Party, the BJP which had been raising the issue for years he kept silent about it before the state election in February.
“Referendum”, though not in its strictest form, has been a vital part of the policy of the AAP. When the group made its debut in Delhi survey in 2014 and subsequently formed the government, with the support of Congress, he said the decisions were taken after receiving the green light from the people.
The opposition and critics, however, say that the vote is not broad-based as the participants are either party members or supporters and the results do not reflect the larger view.
