All eyes are set on the Union Home Ministry’s proposed September 29 Joint Cadre Authority (JCA) of the AGMUT cadre meeting which is to take a call on the transfer and posting of several senior bureaucrats of the national Capital.
The JCA meeting will review the decisions taken during its earlier meeting in July last. For the first time Delhi Chief Secretary did not attend the meeting as Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had insisted to attend the meeting. Sisodia was, however, denied to attend the JCA meeting which is only for the Chief Secretaries of the States such Arunachal, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories. It is yet to be seen who will represent Delhi on September 29. The JCA decides transfer and posting of IAS, IPS and DANICS officials in Delhi and other UTs.
The JCA meeting held in July 24, this year had transferred Directorate of Education Padmani Singla (2002) to Goa, Secretary Environment Sanjiv Kumar (1992) to Mizoram, Food and Supplies Commissioner Sanjiv Khirwar (1994) to Andaman & Nicobar Islands and VAT Commissioner Vijay Kumar (1992) to lakshawdeep. Except for Sanjiv Kumar, all the officers did not take up new postings as the final call on them would be taken on September 29.
Sources said that there was no clarity as to who would be representing the Delhi Government in the forthcoming meeting as the previous meeting held in July was unprecedented as no officer from Delhi was present due to the continuing tussle between the AAP Government and bureaucracy. Many IPS and IAS officers whose posting to Delhi was due had to wait as a recalcitrant Delhi Government did not allow Chief Secretary KK Sharma to attend the meeting.
As per the laid down rules, only Chief Secretaries of the AGMUT cadre are supposed to attend the JCA meeting to decide the transfer and postings of bureaucrats. Furthermore, political representatives of AGMUT cadre could not have a say in the pool of both IAS and IPS officials posting since crucial subject such as law, order and land are beyond their jurisdiction.
The trust deficit between the Arvind Kejriwal Government and the bureaucracy came out in the open with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia writing to the MHA that he would like to represent the Delhi in the JCA meetings for transfer and postings of senior officials. But the MHA turned down Sisodia’s request.
Insiders had attributed Sisodia’s move to attain two objectives: First, ensuring that AAP Government’s choice of Additional Commissioner of Police in the Anti-Corruption Branch SS Yadav does not run into trouble and second, the position of Joint Commissioner of Police Mukesh Kumar Meena was not strengthened and he gets transferred. Even Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had written a strongly worded letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for interfering in the functioning of his Government. Kejriwal had accused the Centre of not letting them work as senior officers have been transferred out without consulting them.
He had also charged that after losing Delhi elections, the Modi Government was deliberately creating hurdles in the functioning of the Delhi Government.
The letter said, (Vijay) Kumar was posted as VAT Commissioner less than a month ago. Many plans were made. The results had just started coming in. Suddenly, midway, without consulting the Delhi Government, Kumar was transferred out to lakshadweep by the Union Government. So, the question is — why has he been transferred outIJ There are six officers who have served in Delhi for longer periods than Vijay Kumar. If at all stay in Delhi was the reason, then first these six officers should have been transferred out,” Kejriwal said, adding that principal secretary (power) Shakuntala Gamlin’s name is at the top of the officers who have served longest in Delhi.