Government reinstates panel of lawyers in Supreme Court, Delhi high court

New Delhi: The Delhi government has reinstated its panels of lawyers in the Supreme Court and the Delhi high court, which were cancelled by Lieutenant-governor (L-G) Anil Baijal, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday, days after the apex court clipped the power of the L-G

"The L-G had cancelled Del govt's panels of advocates in HC and SC due to which Del govt's cases in these courts were suffering. Today, Del govt restored both panels(sic)," Mr Kejriwal tweeted.

The panel for the Delhi high court scrapped by the L-G had included prominent lawyers such as Indira Jaising, Rebecca Mammen John and Colin Gonsalves.

A government official said that payments of the lawyers were also stuck after the panels were cancelled.

According to the official, Delhi law minister Kailash Gahlot on Thursday restored the laywers’ panels, which were “wrongly” set aside by Mr Baijal.

Citing te alleged procedural lapses, Mr Baijal had in the month of May declared as "invalid" the panel of 14 lawyers appointed by the Delhi government for appearance in cases before the Delhi high court.

In his written communication to chief secretary Anshu Prakash last week, His principal secretary Vijay Kumar had said that the orders regarding the panel of lawyers had allegedly been issued without obtaining the approval of Mr Baijal.

Hours after the Supreme Court’s landmark judgement on July 4, the Delhi government introduced a new system for transfer and postings of bureaucrats, making the chief minister’s the approving authority.

However, the services department refused to comply, saying the Supreme Court did not abolish the notification, which was issued in the year 2015 that made the Union minister of home affairs the authority in the feld of transfers and postings.

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