Supreme Court: 5 Judges Bench Reserves Verdict On The Dispute Over Control Of Services

A Five judges bench of the Supreme court on Wednesday reserves verdict on the dispute over control of ‘services’, including posting and transfer of bureaucrats in the national capital territory of Delhi, between Centre and Delhi government.

During the hearing appearing for central govt SG Tushar Mehta requested CJI-led bench to consider referring to larger bench the Centre-Delhi dispute over control on ‘services’.

The Top Court observed that it is witnessing a new phenomenon of filing written submissions, followed by additional ones, followed by more written submissions. “Every day we get surprised with new written submissions,” it said, but allowed SG to file fresh submissions on reference to larger bench.

Appearing for Delhi Government Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it is an ‘ambush’ argument to derail days of arguments. Singhvi said the case has travelled in the court corridors for last so many years without a resolution of the core contestations issue. It is unfortunate that the Centre is advancing reference to larger bench argument, of which not a whisper was made during the long arguments.

SG Tushar Mehta said its no delaying tactics but adjudication of a very important issue relating to National Capital. “History may not remember us as having handed over capital of our nation to complete anarchy,” he said

On February 14, 2019, a two-judge Bench of the top court delivered a split verdict on the question of powers of the GNCTD and Union government over services and referred the matter to a three-judge Bench.