Delhi Violence: AAP Govt dismisses Panel of Advocates appointed to represent Delhi Police, fresh face-off with LG looms

Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has rejected the proposed list of advocates to represent Delhi Police in court cases linked to riots in northeast Delhi earlier this year in February.

The Delhi government, which had expressed its displeasure with the names in the panel submitted by the police, was asked by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to decide the matter expeditiously within a week.

“Delhi Cabinet led by Hon’ble CM Shri @ArvindKejriwal dismisses the Panel of Advocates appointed to represent Delhi Police in Delhi riots case. Delhi cabinet directs Home Dept to appoint the best Lawyers for a fair and impartial trial,” stated a tweet on AAP’s official website.  

The development has brought into sharp relief the differences between LG’s office and the Delhi government on this issue. While the Delhi government has objected to the names alleging they were suggested by the Centre while highlighting the need for a “fair trial” citing the existence of serious questions over Delhi Police’s handling of the riots, the LG’s office has dismissed those concerns while stressing on the need for a dedicated team to handle the February riots cases with consistency across courts.

Delhi Police had proposed to appoint six senior advocates for arguing on its behalf in 85 cases related to riots and also proposed that 24 cases related to anti-CAA protests could be assigned to public prosecutors. 53 people had died in north east riots.

LG Baijal had written to Kejriwal earlier this month citing his deputy and acting Delhi home minister Manish Sisodia’s objections to the names and requested that the matter be reconsidered. It was also reported that differences between Baijal and Sisodia on the issue could not be resolved in a meeting held through video conference.

“In view of urgency and sensitivity of matter, it is requested that the decision of Cabinet be communicated expeditiously, preferably within a week,” Baijal was quoted as having said in his letter.

The first round of confrontation between the AAP government and the L-G’s office took place in June this year over the appointment of 11 special public prosecutors for the communal riots cases. The LG’s office had then overruled Delhi government’s rejection of the police’s request by invoking the power under Article 239 AA(4) of the Constitution.

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