Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: In a big jolt to Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed the decision taken by the former government of giving subsidy to those who did not pay their power bills from October 2012 to December 2013.
While hearing the plea, a division bench of acting Chief Justice BD Ahmed and Justice Sidharth Mridul directed the Delhi government to clarify whether the Cabinet has taken any decision on waiver of pending electricity bills, an IANS report said.
"You (the government) file a short affidavit. We thought there was no meeting of the Cabinet in this regard. But there is no clarity on this. Get proper instruction whether Cabinet decision has been taken or not," the court said, posting the matter for February 21.
Meanwhile, it also asked Lt Governor Najeeb Jung not to take further decision on waiver of power bills.
The court posted the next hearing for Friday.
The court`s decision comes after a a plea was filed challenging the subsidy given by AAP government to persons who did not pay their power bills.
Around 24,000 consumers benefited from the announcement, which put an additional burden of Rs 6 crore on the exchequer.
The Delhi government-led by Arvind Kejriwal had announced that it has decided to provide relief to all those – mostly AAP supporters – who took part in the `Bijli Satyagraha` between October 2012 and April 2013.
The PIL, filed by Advocate Vivek Sharma, has been filed against the Delhi government`s announcement of 50 percent waiver on electricity bills of people who defaulted in payment, saying it will "spread chaos and anarchy by rewarding defaulters instead of penalising them".
The petition has also challenged the AAP government`s move to withdraw cases of power theft lodged against those who did not pay their dues.
The petition has also alleged the Delhi government`s decision discriminates against those who paid their bills on time.
Forty-nine days after he took charge of a minority Delhi government, Kejriwal and his entire Cabinet resigned last Friday following a tumultuous day in the Assembly where combined Congress and BJP MLAs "defeated" his attempts to introduce Jan Lokpal Bill aimed at curbing corruption in high places.
