Several bureaucrats who were suspended by the AAP Government in the recent past have reportedly been working in their respective departments as they were never served the suspension orders or any formal communication to this effect from their cadre controlling authority, the Union Home Ministry, through lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung.
“The AAP Government had announced in front of the media to get political mileage from their suspension but orders were never issued,” said a government official.
Both the IAS and the DANICS officers can be punished but by their cadre controlling authority only and the Delhi administration at best can only recommend action against the officers to the MHA.
A highly placed source said all the bureaucrats suspended by the AAP Government were functioning as usual in their respective departments.
First, it was Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who had ordered the spot-suspension of District Magistrate (West) Amit Satija, Sub Divisional Magistrate (Punjabi Bagh) Satyender Singh and SDM (Saraswati Vihar) Rahul Aggarwal in connection with the demolition drive carried out by the railways in Shakurbasti.
The three officers were suspended on the ground that they were insensitive towards people whose hutments had been demolished as they had not provided basic amenities to the affected people.
Following the suspension of the three officers, Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai had ordered suspension of Adhoc DANICS officer S Roy Biswas and two others in connection with granting permits to three-wheeler auto owners in violation of the rules. The defence put forward by the DANICS Officers Association in favour of Roy is that the Government had acted against the officer for no reason as he was on election duty when the lOIs were issued to the new auto owners.
The recent one in the line of fire of the AAP Government are Special Secretary (Prosecution) Yashpal Garg and Special Secretary (Prisons) Subhash Chandra for not implementing the orders of the council of Ministers in connection with the pay revision issue.
The two bureaucrats had refused to issue such orders on the ground that the l-G had not given his prior approval to do so. Angry over the response of the two bureaucrats, Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain issued a signed order related to their suspension. The two officers were also directed not to leave the headquarters without obtaining prior approval of the Principal Secretary (Home).