Vinai Kumar Saxena Appointed as Delhi's New Lieutenant Governor

Vinai Kumar Saxena has been appointed as Delhi's new lieutenant governor, as per a statement of the press secretary to the president.

Photo: Twitter / Vinay Kumar Saxena

Vinai Kumar Saxena has been appointed as Delhi's new lieutenant governor, President Ram Nath Kovind's office said on Monday, 23 May.

"The President of India has been pleased to appoint Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena to be the Lt Governor of National Capital Territory of Delhi with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," read a press communique from the president's office.

The development comes days after Anil Baijal resigned from the post citing "personal reasons".

Saxena, till recently, was serving as the Chairman of the Khadi & Village Industries Commission.

Background

Anil Baijal on Wednesday, 18 May, submitted his resignation from the post of lieutenant governor, citing personal reasons. He sent his resignation to President Ram Nath Kovind.

Baijal was the 21st lieutenant governor of Delhi. He took office on 31 December 2016 after the sudden resignation of Najeeb Jung, and served in the position for a long tenure of 5 years and 4 months.

A 1969 batch IAS officer, Baijal had served as Union Home Secretary under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, besides holding key positions in other ministries. He is also a former vice chairperson of Delhi Development Authority.

Power Tussle Between LG & AAP Govt

As lieutenant governor, Baijal was at the centre of a long-drawn power tussle between his office and the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government. The issue was finally resolved by a Supreme Court order in July 2018, which said that the Lieutenant Governor cannot act independently unless where the Constitution allows.

The LG cannot be an obstructionist, the Supreme Court ruled, saying that the LG does not have independent decision-making powers, and is bound to act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers in all the areas except land, police and law and order.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the real powers of governance in Delhi rested with its elected representatives and their opinion and decisions ought to be respected.

The ruling overturned an earlier Delhi High Court verdict which had declared the Lt Governor as the head of the Delhi administration, triggering an ugly war between the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party.