The legal wrangle between the Delhi Government, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and lieutenant Governor has impacted bureaucracy in the national Capital. They are uncertain about who to listen to for day-to-day functioning. Even those transferred by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are confused whether to join their new posts or wait for the disposal of the petition of MHA against Delhi High Court’s order.
Interestingly, several senior level IAS officers were on leave on Friday due to prevailing confusion due to the ongoing tussle between Players Building and Raj Niwas for supremacy of power. The transfer orders issued by Secretary (Services) Rajendra Kumar became questionable after the Delhi High Court direction about lieutenant Governor being ‘supreme’ in the matter of services.
Sources said that Delhi Government’s petition in High Court and subsequent observation in Supreme Court on the issue of defining the powers of lieutenant Governor has affected the functioning of Delhi Government. Officials at Players Building were busy whiling time on Friday as some senior officials were on leave while those who were present were busy discussing the ongoing controversy between Arvind Kejriwal and Najeeb Jung.
“The Supreme Court and High Court directions also failed to remove the uncertainty in the administration,” said officials. “The issue is critical and bears significance on day-to-day functioning of the administration,” added sources.
According to sources, despite Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court directions on Friday, the
confusion prevailed in the Government and bureaucracy. The question is those who have been transferred are reluctant to join the Government due to uncertainty. A senior officer said on condition of anonymity that Chief Secretary KK Sharma should clear the air on this issue whether the order issued by Secretary (Services) Rajendra Kumar at the behest of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal still stands despite lieutenant Governor’s
decision on May 20 declaring void ab initio the appointment of Kumar as Secretary (Services).
“The lieutenant Governor office will have to make it clear whether Kumar’s appointment as Secretary (Services) is as per rules and what would be the status of all transfer orders issued by him,” said officials.
Not granting a stay or quashing the Centre’s notification clipping AAP’s administrative wings, the Delhi High Court has directed the lt Governor to “deliberate” on the Delhi Government’s proposals on appointment of senior bureaucrats to key posts.
Hearing the Delhi Government’s plea for quashing the May 21 order of the Centre barring the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) from proceeding against any staff under Centre’s control, the court, as an interim measure, asked the lt Governor to deliberate upon the AAP Government’s orders shifting nine bureaucrats from one post to another. It also sought the Centre’s response on AAP Government’s plea seeking quashing of a
notification, which gave the
lt Governor absolute powers to appoint bureaucrats to various posts in the national Capital.