Centre returns Bills including Janlokpal Bill 2015 passed by Delhi assembly for ‘not following proper procedure’

The Union Home Ministry has reportedly sent back 14 bills passed by the Delhi assembly for not following proper procedures while adopting the legislations.

Some of the Bills which were returned are the Janlokpal Bill 2015, the Minimum Wages (Delhi Amendment) Bill 2015, Delhi School (Verification of Accounts and Refund of Excess Fee) Bill 2015, Delhi School Education (Amendment) Bill 2015, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Delhi Amendment) Bill 2015 and a Bill related to working journalists.

According to Home Ministry, since Delhi is a Union Territory, any bill it wants to adopt in the assembly has to be first sent to the central government for approval, and after obtaining that it can be moved for legislative approval. Even after passing of such a Bill, it has to go again through Lieutenant Governor to Central Government for Presidential assent.

The Home ministry says that the Delhi Government did not follow this procedure and the bills passed cannot be approved. Last week, the President had withheld his assent to the Delhi Government’s Dual Office bill, as a result of which 21 MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party may now face disqualification.