Panic has gripped the entire Delhi bureaucracy with Aam Aadmi Party securing a massive majority with 67 Assembly seats. A massive overhaul for clean bureaucracy, including appointment of new Chief Secretary, seems imminent. Bureaucrats, who were in honeymoon phase for the past one year after Arvind Kejriwal’s exit, are looking forward to a new kind of governance driven by transparency.
Top sources told The Pioneer that Delhi bureaucrats have lined up outside Arvind Kejriwal’s residence at Kaushambi in Ghaziabad after the poll results. There is possibility that Kejriwal may reinstate SK Srivastava as Chief Secretary of Delhi. His incumbent DM Spolia is due to retire on February 27. During his earlier 49-day regime, Kejriwal had removed Spolia in view of his close proximity with the previous Sheila Dikshit Government. In August last year, BJP Government had removed Srivastava and reinstated Spolia as the Chief Secretary.
Srivastava is currently holding the reins as chairman of Delhi Finance Commission, which is considered a punishment posting in Delhi Government. Sources said Srivastava would be Kejriwal’s natural choice. Similarly, Rajendra Kumar, is currently holding the charge of Secretary (Urban Development) and Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) South-West District, Ankur Garg are also considered close to Kejriwal and may get plum postings in his Government. Delhi Jal Board (DJB) chief Vijay Kumar may get a cushy post this time around.
Besides, a dozen officials who had earlier worked under the erstwhile Sheila Dikshit Government may opt for a transfer. Besides, there are half a dozen officials reluctant to join Delhi Government during Kejriwal’s tenure. For instance, 1979 batch officer Anand Prakash is not keen to join Delhi Government. Similarly, 1985 batch Officer Parimal Rai is also reluctant to join Delhi Government.
There are a dozen officials who have been in Delhi for the past several years but now eager to get posted outside Delhi. Shakuntala Gamlin, a 1984 batch officer, also seems unenthusiastic to continue in Delhi. SCl Das, a 1992 batch officer, who is currently holding the charge of Secretary (Health) in Delhi Government, has been in the Capital since 2000 and is reportedly not keen to continue in Delhi. There is also a likelihood of a massive overhaul in bureaucracy, which would include the Municipal Commissioners of the three bodies, Delhi Jal Board, Power, DTC and Transport.
In 2012, the then Home Minister P Chidambaram transferred some IAS officers, including Kutty and Mukherjee. But the then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit intervened and managed to get a few transfers revoked. Development Commissioner Puneet Goel, a 1991 batch officer, has been in Delhi since 2005. Over a dozen IAS officers were transferred by the MHA in 2014. Except Arun Goyal, all of them have been retained by lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.