The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Delhi on Friday withdrew the previous Aam Aadmi Party’s regime plea against implementing the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health scheme in the national capital.
Approaching the apex court, the Delhi government sought permission to withdraw the petition and said it is moving ahead with implementing the scheme. A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra permitted the Delhi government’s plea. Hearing the matter, Justice Gavai remarked, "Now, you won't be interested,” Live Law reported.
The Supreme Court in January stayed the Delhi High Court’s order directing the Delhi government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the national capital. The apex court had also issued notice to the Centre over the matter.
The Delhi High Court in its order observed PM-ABHIM has to be implemented in its entirety to ensure Delhi residents are not deprived of the funds and facilities under it. The AAP and its party chief Arvind Kejriwal had staunchly opposed the implementation of the scheme saying the Ayushman Bharat scheme was the biggest scam in the country.
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Welcoming the Supreme Court’s stay over the Delhi High Court’s order, Kejriwal had said, “I am happy that the Supreme Court has confirmed that it is a fake scheme. Ayushman Bharat is the biggest scam in the country. When the central government changes and an inquiry is conducted into these scams, people will realise how big a scam Ayushman Bharat truly was.”
However, AAP lost the recently held Delhi Assembly polls and the BJP won the elections. In the elections held to 70-seat assembly, BJP won 48 seats while AAP’s majority was reduced to 22 seats.