President Droupadi Murmu has empowered Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena to establish and appoint members to any authority, board, commission, or statutory body under parliamentary laws applicable to the national capital, as per a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
A gazette notification issued by the MHA on Tuesday detailed that, in accordance with Article 239 of the Constitution and Section 45D of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, the President has authorized the LG of Delhi to exercise her powers in forming any such body and appointing government officials or ex officio members, with presidential oversight.
This move is anticipated to trigger a new conflict between the LG and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi.
In a separate development, the President approved the formation of the 23rd Law Commission of India, which will function from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2027.
According to the notification, the commission will consist of a full-time Chairperson, four full-time members, and additional ex-officio and part-time members. The commission’s key role will be to propose legal reforms aimed at improving the Indian legal system. The body will comprise a Chairperson, four full-time members (including the Member-Secretary), the Secretaries of the Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department as ex officio members, and up to five part-time members.