Difference of opinion between CM and LG on Jasmine Shah, matter referred to President: Delhi High Court told

The Delhi High Court was informed on Tuesday that due to the difference of opinion between Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal regarding LG’s decision to remove Jasmine Shah from the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDCD) office, the matter has been referred to the President. .It was also stated that in exercise of powers under Article 239AA of the Constitution, the LG has ordered that Shah will not be allowed into the DDCD office till the President takes a call on the issue..An affidavit stating the same was filed by the Director (Planning) of the Delhi government in response to a plea by Shah challenging the LG’s decision restricting him from discharging the functions of vice-chairman of the DDCD..The Court was told that the LG had written to Kejriwal on November 17 requesting him to take action to remove Shah from the office of the vice-chairman of DDCD. As an interim measure, the LG had restricted Shah from discharging his functions as the VC as well.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”.However, on November 26, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia – the minister in-charge of the department - disagreed with the LG’s order and the same stand was taken by the CM Kejriwal as well. The Delhi government then directed the planning department to rescind the orders restraining Shah..The affidavit before the High Court stated that as per Article 239AA of the Constitution, whenever there is a difference of opinion between the LG and his ministers, the matter will have to be referred to the President.The response further said that despite the LG’s decision to refer the matter to the President, Kejriwal issued an order on December 8 directing the planning department to recall the order of November 17.“By way of the above order, in complete contradiction to Article 239AA(4) and Rules 50,51 and 52 of the Transaction of Business Rules, the Hon’ble Chief Minister proceeded to form an opinion on the matter of Sh. Jasmine Shah for a second time, despite such matter having been referred to the Hon’ble President of India,” the affidavit stated.A letter was written by the LG to the Principal Secretary (Planning) on the same day reiterating that the matter has been referred to the President and no further action could be taken by any other authority..Though the matter was listed for hearing before the court today, Justice Prathiba M Singh could not take it up and adjourned it to January 9. .Delhi High Court seeks response from LG Vinai Kumar Saxena on plea by AAP's Jasmine Shah against shutting him out of DDCD