Delhi High Court seeks LG's stand on plea by AAP's Jasmine Shah against shutting him out of DDCD

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the stance of the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Delhi Vinai Kumar Saxena on a plea Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) politician Jasmine Shah challenging the LG's order restricting him from discharging the functions of vice-chairman of Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDCD). .Single-judge Justice Yashwant Varma ordered LG's counsel to obtain instructions on the issue.The Court said that it will examine the scope of the power that can be exercised by the LG in the matter and listed the case for hearing on November 28..According to news reports, Shah's office was locked and his official vehicle was also taken away following LG's order. The LG also asked CM Arvind Kejriwal to sack Shah for allegedly “misusing his office for political purposes"..The action was taken after BJP MP Parvesh Singh Verma lodged a complaint alleging that while working as the vice-chairman of Delhi government think tank, DDCD, Shah “acted as official spokesperson of AAP for political gains, in violation of established procedures”..In his plea, the AAP politician also challenged the decision of the chamber of the Director (Planning), Delhi Government, who ordered locking of Shah's office and withdrawing all staff and facilities provided to him. .The plea argued that in terms of the constitution of the DDCD, the sole supervisory jurisdiction and authority over the appointment and discharge of functions of the office of DDCD lies with the Delhi cabinet and the Chief Minister. LG does not have any jurisdiction to take cognizance of the complaint or to seek the Shah's explanation or pass any directions on the same, it stated. ."The Petitioner further submits that the entire basis of the proceedings against the Petitioner that he has misused his office as Vice Chairperson, DDCD by appearing in television debates on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party is fallacious and misconceived," the plea said. It added, "It is submitted that the expectation of political neutrality is only associated with “Government servants” who constitute the “permanent executive” in a Parliamentary system of democracy such as the one adopted by India. In such a system, while policy is decided by elected leaders or the “political executive”, policy decisions are implemented or administered by the Government servants or the "permanent executive".