In a significant move aimed at ending years of bitter disputes between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor (LG), the newly elected BJP government in Delhi has initiated the process of withdrawing several court cases filed during the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime, sources revealed on Wednesday. This decision signals a shift in approach, with the BJP-led government focusing on resolving longstanding confrontations that frequently stalled governance in the national capital.

The withdrawal of these cases is seen as an effort to bring to a close the series of legal battles that marked the turbulent relationship between the AAP government and successive LGs — Najeeb Jung, Anil Baijal and VK Saxena.

According to sources, these cases, which span issues from regulatory appointments to funding disputes, will be pulled back to ensure smoother coordination between the Delhi government and the LG, who represents the central government in the Union Territory. "Governance will get priority," a senior official stated, underlining the BJP government’s intention to move past political acrimony.

This development comes on the heels of the BJP’s sweeping victory in the recent Delhi assembly elections, where the party won 48 out of 70 seats — a return to power in the capital after more than 25 years. In contrast, the AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal and later by Aatishi, suffered a massive defeat, reduced to only 22 seats. Many political observers attribute this outcome partly to the AAP’s prolonged and public disputes with the LG office, which appeared to voters as a constant hurdle in governance. The new BJP government, headed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, now appears keen to distance itself from that legacy of confrontation.

Among the major cases that are now being withdrawn is the one concerning the appointment of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) chairman. The AAP had fiercely opposed the LG's role in this matter, arguing that allowing the Centre control over the DERC could jeopardise the capital’s power subsidy scheme — a flagship initiative of the Kejriwal government that was extremely popular among Delhi residents.

Another notable case pertains to the appointment of public prosecutors in trials related to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. The AAP government had strongly objected to the LG's insistence on appointing special public prosecutors chosen by the Centre.

At the time, AAP MP Sanjay Singh had remarked, "The LG and Central government are insisting on the appointment of a panel of special public prosecutors chosen by the Centre. This is happening at a time when there are very serious allegations over the response of the Delhi Police to these riots as well as how the investigation is going on."

Furthermore, the AAP government had taken legal action against the LG for allegedly interfering in a proposal to send Delhi government school teachers abroad for training, specifically to Finland. The proposal was hailed by AAP as critical for improving education standards in the city. During a 2023 Supreme Court hearing, senior advocate AM Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, had argued, "LG is deciding which teachers to send, how to send and when to send. This is concerning the teachers' training programme." In defense, LG Saxena’s counsel had contended that the Kejriwal government was unwilling to present an "impact assessment of the foreign training programmes conducted in the past."

The cases also include disputes over funding for the Delhi Jal Board and disagreements on the composition of a high-level committee formed to address Yamuna River pollution — both issues that frequently saw the Delhi government and LG’s office at odds.

By withdrawing these cases, the BJP government aims to foster a more collaborative working relationship with the LG and the Centre. The frequent clashes between AAP and the LG had resulted in policy paralysis in key sectors, including education, law and order and environmental management.

Sources within the Delhi administration emphasised that the withdrawal of these cases is part of a larger effort to "end confrontation and prioritise governance" for the benefit of the city's residents. The move is expected to ease tensions that have long overshadowed the functioning of Delhi's administration, potentially paving the way for more effective governance under the new BJP leadership.

With this decisive step, the BJP government appears committed to restoring functional ties between Delhi's elected leadership and the LG, marking a new chapter in the capital's political landscape.