Various departments of the Delhi Government were thrown into absolute chaos on Wednesday as two Home Secretaries — one appointed by the AAP Government and another who followed the lieutenant-Governor’s order — worked separately at the Players’ Building.
A day after lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung overturned the AAP Government’s order shunting out its Secretary (Home) Dharampal, Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain has directed his officials to place all files related to his department before him and warned them of consequences in case of non-compliance of the order. He made it amply clear that the files should also be sent to Rajendra Kumar, who was appointed as the Home Secretary by the AAP Government.
On the other hand, Secretary (Home) Dharampal on Wednesday discharged his duties defying the AAP Government’s notification. He said, “In pursuance of the order of the lt Governor, I am continuing as the Home Secretary.” Sticking to l-G order, Dharampal disposed of routine files.
Officials in Chief Minister’s Office claimed that Rajendra Kumar also signed files and held meetings with officials of the Home Department. “For the Government, Kumar is the Home Secretary of Delhi. All files pertaining to Home Department are being sent to Kumar,” officials said.
Besides two Home secretaries, there are two chiefs of Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) — one appointed by appointed by the AAP Government and another by the l-G — leading to utter confusion and chaos in the functioning.
In a signed note, Jain, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that Dharampal, 1988-batch IAS officer has been repatriated from June 9, 2015 and Rajender Kumar, a 1989-batch IAS officer has been assigned the additional charge of Secretary (Home). Citing the Transaction of the Business Rules, the Minister said that he was the real boss of the Home department and the Minister in-charge of the department should be primarily responsible for the disposal of the business pertaining to that department.
“Accordingly, it is very clear that being Home Minister, it is within my power to decide as to how the department is to be run and accordingly it is directed that all files should be submitted by the concerned additional secretary/special secretary to Rajender Kumar who is presently holding the Home Secretary,” the note said.
Kumar, currently posted as Secretary to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, also holds the charge of the Secretary (Services) after senior IAS officer Anindo Majumdar was removed from the post for issuing an order regarding the appointment of Secretary (Power) Shakuntala D Gamlin as the Chief Secretary for a period of 10 days in the absence of Chief Secretary KK Sharma, who had proceeded on a leave to visit his daughter in the United States. Sharma had gone on leave after the CM had issued him a show cause notice to explain why he had send some files to Raj Niwas.
The ongoing tussle between the AAP Government and the l-G over transfer and posting issue of officers had stooped to new low with the State Administration categorically telling the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday that it does not require the services of Dharampal, who had appointed Joint Commissioner of Police MK Meena as the head of the Anti-Corruption Branch. Dharampal is said to have issued Meena’s transfer orders on the directions of the l-G.
The Raj Niwas had promptly reacted to these developments with l-G’s secretary SCl Dass issuing an order upholding Meena as the ACB chief and Dharampal as the Home Secretary. After being appointed as the new ACB, Meena, a 1989-batch IPS officer, had immediately assumed his new charge late on Tuesday night. Though the AAP Government informed Meena that he cannot join the ACB as there was no sanctioned post of the Joint Commissioner, Meena dug in his heels and took charge as the head of the ACB. He is also said to have conveyed to the State administration that its orders cannot over rule the l-G’s directions.