The ongoing spar between the Delhi Government and the bureaucracy was worsened further as the Delhi Government on Wednesday issued an order to hand over the responsibilities of departments to the second in commands in the absence of the Principal Secretary and Secretary and Head of Department (HoD).
If the second in command was also not available, the Minister incharge has been empowered to appoint anybody as the officer incharge of the department. Bureaucrats are livid over this ‘absurd’ order as it militates against the very spirit of hierarchy of service cadre, governance and Transaction of Business Rules of the Delhi Government. This is likely to impact the day-to-day functioning of the bureaucracy.
“In supersession of all previous orders issued in this behalf, it is hereby directed that in the event of any Principal Secretary /Secretary/Head of Department (HoD) being on leave or not available, his charge should be looked after by the next available senior most officer of the department till either the Principal Secretary/Secretary/Head of Department resumes duty or till specific orders for alternative arrangement are made by the Minister-in-charge. This has been issued with the approval of the Chief Minister. However, the officers shall not be entitled for any additional remuneration for such period,” said the order issued with signature of Deputy Secretary (services) Mukesh Kumar Sharma.
The circular, which is going to have far reaching consequences in the bureaucratic circles, said even if the senior most officer is not available, the Minister in-charge would be free to appoint any officer to discharge the duties of their HOD.
So far, if any officer of the Principal Secretary would proceed on leave, the link officer entrusted with the job of overseeing his work used to be the officer of the rank of Principal Secretary only. And ditto was the case with the officers of the rank of Secretaries in the Government. Generally, Principal Secretaries and Secretary rank officers are from the IAS cadre. Even for the Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary and Special Secretary rank officers, who are from the DANICS cadre, their link officer used to be from the same cadre.
The new circular has raised a vital question that in case both Principal Secretary or Secretary level officers are on leave, will the Government delegate their powers to the officers of the DANICS cadre. And if the officer of the DANICS cadre too is not available, will the Minister incharge delegate his or her powers to any officer of the DASS cadre.
The order is expected to disturb hierarchy of service cadre among IAS/DANICS/DASS. Officials feel that after this order, it would be easier to pressurise and get work done through junior level officials.
A senior bureaucrat apprehended that if the Government decides to delegate powers of any IAS officer to the one belonging to the DANICS/ DASS cadre would be unprecedented in the history. “Any such decision is bound to derail the day-to-day decision making,” he said, adding, that the circular was even bound to create friction between officers of different cadres.
Source said the Government’s decision on allocation of powers to its officers was aimed at sending a strong signal to those bureaucrats who were not following its orders. “The circular has sent a clear message to one and all that if any IAS or DANICS officer is unwilling to cooperate with the Government, the Ministers could even get their works done through the officers of the DASS cadre.”
The AAP Government is already battling with the Union Home Ministry through lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung over the issue of jurisdiction of transfers and postings issue of the bureaucrats in the city. The transfer and posting of several IAS and DANICS officers by the AAP Government has been declared null and void by the Centre.