Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and the AAP government are at loggerheads over the removal of three non official members of the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDCD).
Following the directions of the LG, the Delhi government’s services department had rescinded the engagement of Aswathi Muralidharan, Vijaya Chandra Vupputuri, and Gopal Mohan and called their appointment ‘a blatant and clear case of nepotism and favouritism in utter disregard of all rules'.
Taking a strong note, Delhi Planning Minister Atishi declared the order null and void. Atishi has also flagged this order to Principal Secretary (Planning), Principal Secretary (Services), and Special Secretary to the Chief Minister.
Last week, Saxena has dissolved the DDCD alleging that the body was created “only to extend financial benefits” and patronage to “certain favoured political persons” at the “whims and fancies” of AAP convener and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, as only the CM approved its members till a mechanism was developed for “screening and selection of domain experts as its vice-chairman and members”.
According to services department, both Muralidharan and Mohan were engaged at the monthly salary of Rs 3,80,250 while Vupputuri was engaged at the monthly salary of Rs 3,00,600. The Services department said in an order passed by Special Secretary YVVJ Rajasekhar, that these non official members were highly paid and perked position which only few officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) get after service of about 33 years’.
In her order , Atishi said the DDCD has been constituted by the elected Government of Delhi, i.e. the Council of Ministers, in exercise of power vested in it by Entry 20, List III of the VII Schedule of the Constitution which deals with Economic and Social Planning', and in terms of the Constitution Bench judgment dated 04.07.2018, it is clear that the LG does not have any independent decision-making power over transferred subjects.
“ In such matters, he is bound by the aid and advice of the elected Government, which exercises exclusive executive powers over transferred subjects, including issues pertaining to the Planning Department, which is the administrative department for GNCTD. This order is issued in reference to an order dated 27.06.2024 by the Special Secretary of the Services Department, GNCTD, which has been presented to me ('Services Order'). In the Services Order, the Lieutenant Governor (LG) has rescinded the engagement of all non-official members of the Dialogue & Development Commission of Delhi (DDCD) – Ms. Aswathi Muralidharan, Mr. Vijay Chandra Vupputuri, and Mr. Gopal Mohan – with immediate effect,” reads the order.Officials said Muralidharan used to work with the Chief Minister, Vupputuri gave donations to the AAP and Mohan fought in Delhi elections on AAP ticket highlighting ‘a clear case of favouritism only on political considerations’.Regarding the appointment of Muralidharan, it said, “The reason for her appointment as the non-official member was that she was working as a Joint Secretary (in the pay scale equivalent to the Under Secretary to the Govt. of India) in the Chief Minister office, which establishes a direct case of extending undue favouritism.”
Vijaya Chandra Vupputuri was initially appointed as a non-official member of DDCD on November 5, 2018 and joined the next day. “He contributed Rs.3,00,600 rupees to the AAP during the financial year 2018-19, in the year of his engagement as a non-official member of the DDCD. His engagement as a non-official member in DDCD in the same year 2018-19 when he made payment of about Rs.3 lakh to AAP raises serious concerns in this regard,” it said.
Gopal Mohan has also filed the Affidavit for contesting Delhi Assembly Election 2013 from New Delhi Assembly Constituency as an AAP candidate. He was first made an Advisor (Anti-Corruption) to the Chief Minister on a co-terminus basis on one rupees remuneration.
“On August 7, 2015, he was moved from the responsibility of Anti-Corruption Helpline In-charge to the position of Advisor (Public Grievances), which post was vacated by another person who was drawing a salary of 1,15,881 rupees. By this sleight of hand, Gopal Mohan moved from an honorary position of Rs. 1/- to a salary of Rs. 1.15 lakhs per month without the approval of Lt.Governor,” it stated, adding that the only criteria for his selection was that he was working as the Advisor to the Chief Minister, which establishes a direct case of extending undue favouritism.
“CBI has registered an on March 14 in which Mohan is an accused in the matter of criminal conspiracy, dishonest misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust by public servant, forgery for purpose of cheating, using as genuine a forged document, falsification of accounts and criminal misconduct by public servant, in the matter of Feed Back Unit, GNCTD,” it stated.
