IAS officer Dilraj Kaur — appointed as Delhi Commission for Women's (DCW's) member secretary by lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung, wrote a strongly-worded letter to DCW chief Swati Maliwal on Monday, saying incumbent PP Dhal should not continue in the post as his appointment was "illegal" and "devoid" of any statutory basis.
Strongly reacting to Kaur's letter, Maliwal wrote a letter to the l-G calling the communication by the bureaucrat "shocking" and reflective of "utter disrespect and disregard" to the directions of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
"In utter disrespect and disregard to the directions of the Chief Minister, she vide her letter dated December 16 has again asserted herself as the Member Secretary of the Commission. Furthermore, going way beyond her jurisdiction, she has threatened the Government-appointed officiating Member Secretary with penal action," said Maliwal.
In the letter, Maliwal conveyed to Jung that an environment of terror and fear was being deliberately created for the staff working in the Commission and attempts were being made to intimidate the sub-ordinate officers to ensure a complete collapse of its functioning.
"The Commission is aggrieved for despite its unparalleled work, your office has not deemed it necessary to invite us for any discussion or consultation in the past one year and have considered it unimportant to intervene in this virtual crisis created in the Commission. It is our strong recommendation that immediate steps be taken to ensure the smooth functioning of the Commission," said Maliwal.
The DCW chief said on December 14, the commission had received a note from Kaur stating that she had assumed charge as the Member Secretary of DCW. She said the Commission informed her of the decision of the CM and even sent a copy of his note to her, clarifying the legal position.
Kaur, in the letter dated December 16, to Maliwal, said since the competent authority has already issued specific orders posting her to the post and any further continuation of Dhal as Member Secretary was unauthorised and illegal. "Therefore, any administrative action/decision taken by him in respect of Delhi Commission for Women would be untenable and shall attract penal action as per law."
Kaur in her letter made it clear that her appointment was made by the service department. "The said order unambiguously mandates her to assume additional charge to the post of the member secretary, DCW." Earlier this month, the CM had directed Chief Secretary MM Kutty and Maliwal not to allow Kaur to function as DCW Member Secretary.