Kejriwal rejects Jung’s candidate for Delhi women’s panel
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has rejected the appointment of IAS officer Dilraj Kaur as member secretary of the Delhi Commission for Women, made by lieutenant -governor Najeeb Jung.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has rejected the appointment of IAS officer Dilraj Kaur as member secretary of the Delhi Commission for Women, made by lieutenant -governor Najeeb Jung.
He directed the women’s body to not implement the L-G’s order.
In August, the Delhi government had forwarded a proposal to the L-G for appointing PP Dhal, retired joint director, as member secretary of the DCW. But Jung declined to approve it on the grounds that ACB was investigating complaints about irregular appointments to the Commission.
Kejriwal on Friday wrote to the LG and said that since DCW was a ‘transferred subject’ and not a ‘reserved subject’, the LG could only concur with the proposal of the government and not unilaterally take a decision to the contrary.
In case the LG has a difference of opinion in a matter relating to ‘transferred subject’, LG is required to settle such difference of opinion by discussion, sources said.
“In exceptional cases where the differences of opinion still persists the Government recognizes the right of the LG as provided in TBR to refer the matter to the Council of Ministers.”
“I am sending a copy of this note to the chief secretary and the chairperson of the DCW, to wait for the final outcome in the matter and not to implement your directions to give charge to Secretary, WCD. In the meantime, Mr Dhal will hold the charge in officiating capacity,” the letter said.
Kejriwal clarified that even the High Court order only stated that in matters relating to a ‘transferred subject the government has to seek the approval of the L-G, it does not state that the L-G can unilaterally take decisions bypassing the elected government.
The appointment of Kaur has added fire to the continued tug of war between the L-G’s office and the elected Delhi government over administrative jurisdiction.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal said: “The Commission is facing an unprecedented attack on its autonomy. The Commission urges the LG to accept the proposal of the elected government and to safeguard the autonomy of the Commission thereby ending the stalemate existing in the Commission”.
Last month, Kejriwal had written to Jung requesting the removal of the then DCW member secretary, Alka Dewan, as the state government had nominated a name to the post. Kejriwal termed the appointment of Dewan null and void as it “violated the High Court order and the DCW Act”.