NEW DELHI : Days after the Supreme Court gave the elected government in Delhi control over the bureaucracy, the LG Secretariat on Tuesday returned files related to the services matters back to the government for necessary action. “Proposals for extension of contractual tenures of staff in various Delhi
Government Hospitals and acceptance of resignation of a Group ‘A’ staff of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital, sent to LG for approval, have been returned back with the observation that the Departments may be advised to take appropriate action / further necessary action, in light of the judgment of CB in Apex Court on 11.05.2023,” the LG office said in a statement.
The move comes after a Supreme Court judgment placed the control of bureaucrats working with the Delhi government (excluding those related to police, public order, and land) under the elected government. Earlier, transfers and postings of all Delhi government officers were decided by the Lieutenant Governor.
While delivering the verdict, the Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justices MR Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and P S Narasimha, had said that if a democratically elected government was not allowed to control its officers and hold them to account, then its responsibility towards the legislature and public is diluted. “L-G shall exercise powers under the administrative role as entrusted by the President. Executive administration can only extend to matters which fall outside the scope of the legislative assembly…and it cannot mean administration over entire NCT Delhi. Otherwise, the purpose of having a separate elected body in Delhi will be rendered futile,” the court said.
Meanwhile, the Arvind Kejriwal government in the national capital has accused Chief Secretary and the Services Secretary of creating hurdles and has issued a show-cause notice to the IAS officer and Services Department Secretary Ashish More for not complying with its direction and threatened disciplinary action against him.
The Delhi government in a statement said it expected full cooperation from LG VK Saxena and the Centre but the Chief Secretary and the Services Secretary are still creating hurdles and even the first order for removing Services Secretary has not been implemented yet.
“We expect full cooperation from LG and central govt. However, the chief secretary and services secretary are still creating hurdles. The first transfer order for changing the services Secretary has not been implemented yet.”
More was removed by the Kejriwal government from his post; hours after the Supreme Court gave the AAP dispensation control over the transfer and posting of officers in the state. Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar had convened a meeting of the Civil Services Board (CSB) on Tuesday to consider AAP government’s directions to transfer officers, including Services Secretary Ashish More.( Bureau Report with Media Inputs).
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