Amidst the standoff with the Centre over the Delhi Budget, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to address the House. Earlier, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has blocked the presentation of the Delhi Budget scheduled to be presented on Tuesday. However, according to MHA sources, the Centre has raised concerns about the allocation of funds in the budget towards advertisements (ADs) over infrastructure development. The Delhi Lieutenant Governor’s (LG) house received the Delhi Budget file at 9:25 pm on Monday, and the approval was sent back at 10:05 pm. As a result of the standoff, the Delhi Budget was not presented on Tuesday, and the Centre has demanded an explanation from Kejriwal’s government about their AD expenditure.
The Delhi Budget is an essential financial plan for the capital’s administration, encompassing various sectors such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and social welfare. Kejriwal’s government had announced that the Budget would be “historic” and focused on the city’s development. However, the Centre’s objections have now made the presentation of the Budget uncertain, leading to an explicit standoff between the Delhi government and the Centre.
AAP alleges that the Centre’s actions are a measure of interference in the national capital’s governance, where the AAP has been in power since 2015. The party argues that the Centre’s stand on the Delhi Budget is indicative of the Modi government’s attempts to undermine the democratic rights of elected state governments. The AAP government claims that the Centre’s objections are politically motivated, pointing out that the Budget has earlier been approved by the Delhi Finance Department, and is aligned with the Constitutional provisions mandated by the 14th Finance Commission of India. The AAP has warned that the Centre’s actions could lead to a constitutional crisis, where the powers of democratically elected state governments could be compromised.
The MHA, on the other hand, has indicated that the Delhi Budget’s allocation towards ADs is disproportionately high and exceeds the permissible limits. The Centre’s response has led to speculation among political circles about the Centre’s motives in questioning the Delhi government’s Budget. Critics of the Centre’s move argue that the Centre’s actions could be part of a strategy to weaken the AAP’s popularity, given that Delhi is heading towards assembly elections next year. Moreover, with the upcoming Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, the Centre’s actions against the AAP could be part of a larger plan to win over voters in these neighbouring states.
The current standoff is not the first instance of the Delhi government’s tussle with the Centre over governance issues. In the past, the Kejriwal government has accused the Centre of trying to undermine their authority through the Lieutenant Governor’s office. The AAP has been critical of the Centre’s interventionist policies, arguing that they impede the development of the city. The latest standoff, however, has escalated tensions between the two sides, with the Delhi government warning of dire consequences if the Centre continues to meddle in their affairs.
In conclusion, the Delhi Budget’s presentation has become uncertain due to the ongoing standoff between the Kejriwal government and the Centre. The AAP alleges that the Centre’s objections are politically motivated and designed to undermine Delhi’s democratic rights, while the Centre argues that the allocation towards ADs exceeds permissible limits. The episode highlights the frequent tussles between democratically elected state governments and the Centre, and their implications for Indian federalism. It remains to be seen how the current standoff will resolve itself, and whether it will have larger ramifications for the polity.
