Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has submitted his resignation to the President of India, sources told CNBC TV18 on May 18. News agency ANI also said Baijal has resigned, citing sources.
Baijal, a retired civil servant, who has been at loggerheads with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over an array of governance-related issues, was appointed as national capital's lieutenant governor (L-G) in December 2016 following the abrupt resignation of his predecessor Najeeb Jung.
Baijal has cited "personal reasons" behind his decision to step down from the top administrator's role, the sources said.
An official statement was awaited at the time of writing this report.
The occupant of L-G's post, in the national capital, has come in the cross-fire between the Delhi-ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Centre-ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the past eight years.
The AAP has accused Baijal and his predecessor, Najeeb Jung, of acting at the behest of the Centre to obstruct the schemes of the "elected Delhi government".
The tussle had reached the Supreme Court in 2018, which had led to the apex judiciary issuing a landmark judgment that spelled out the powers of the L-G and the legislative assembly more clearly.
The stand-off, however, has continued as Baijal and Kejriwal have failed to form consensus on several issues. They were at the opposing sides in the Delhi High Court, in January this year, after the L-G's office had vetoed the implementation of Delhi government's scheme for doorstep delivery of ration.
Baijal, through his counsel, had submitted before the court that his intent is "not to usurp the powers" of Delhi government, but only to ensure that it follows the established law.
An 1969-batch IAS officer of AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory) cadre had earlier served in Delhi as vice-chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). He also served as the Union home secretary in the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government. During the UPA regime, Baijal served in the urban development ministry where he looked after implementing the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
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