LG tried to prevent Delhi govt from presenting its views in SC in MCD case: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena on Saturday of trying to "forcibly" prevent the city government from presenting its views before the Supreme Court in a case involving the MCD, a day after the top court said aldermen cannot vote in the mayoral poll.

Addressing a press conference here, Kejriwal alleged that the LG tried to "interfere in the administration of justice" and committed "contempt of court".

No reaction was immediately available from the LG's office to the claims and allegations made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader.

Kejriwal said the petitioner in the case, the AAP's mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi, had added the LG and the Delhi government as separate parties to her petition in the apex court.

"The Delhi government had asked the urban development secretary to hire Gautam Narayan in the case. But the LG, on February 9, directed the urban development secretary to appoint Tushar Mehta as the government's lawyer to defend the case," he said.

The chief minister added that he has written to the LG, conveying it to him that his actions did not behove the constitutional post he held.