Appointment of Lawyers: Supreme Court to hear Delhi’s petition against L-G’s powers today

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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is likely to take up on Monday the Delhi Government’s petition challenging the Centre’s decision to confer power on the Lieutenant Governor to appoint government lawyers.

The Delhi Government has challenged a 2017 office memorandum issued by the Union Home Ministry and an order passed by the Delhi L-G’s office on February 16.

A petition is scheduled to be heard by a Bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna on November 4. “The elected government of NCT of Delhi ought to be able to decide on the engagement of counsel, and the right to choose a counsel of a choice is one of the most zealously guarded rights. The elected government cannot be shut out from choosing its advocates before the Constitutional courts,” the Delhi Government submitted.