Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has called a meeting with all senior bureaucrats in the backdrop of the turf war between the Delhi Government and lt Governor Najeeb Jung. The Government’s move comes a day after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal issued an order to department heads to apprise him or the Minister concerned about any oral or written direction from the l-G or his office before following them.
Sisodia would hold a meeting with all department heads, including Principal Secretaries and Secretaries, to discuss workflow and coherent understanding of the Constitution of India, the Transaction of Business of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Rules 1993 and Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act 1991.
The Deputy CM would also cite the rules under which Delhi is administered and would ask officials to follow the Government’s directions. The officials have been directed to read these three statutes carefully to ensure meaningful discussion. The meeting would be followed by lunch. The proposed meeting is also seen as means to improve relations with the bureaucracy as the bureaucrats are upset with the way they were being behaved by the AAP Government.
On Monday, the AAP Government had issued an order signed by Kejriwal, asking the bureaucrats, including the Chief Secretary, to first consult the Chief Minister and other Ministers about any communication from the l-G before acting on such directions. “To ensure smooth functioning of day-to-day affairs of our Government in accordance with the Constitution of India, the Government of NCT of Delhi Act and Transaction
of Business of the Delhi Government, it is hereby ordered that any direction or order, whether oral or written, received from honorable l-G or his office to the Chief Secretary or any administrative Secretary, shall first be submitted by the concerned administrative Secretary/Chief Secretary on the file to the Minister in-charge and the Chief Minister for a decision,” the order said.