‘Centre plotting to reverse SC order’: Arvind Kejriwal amid Delhi govt official's transfer row

The Delhi government was given executive power in services matters, including transfer and posting of officers, in a Supreme Court ruling last week.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asked on Friday whether the Centre was scheming to overturn the Supreme Court ruling that empowered the elected government with legislative and executive powers in administrative services. Kejriwal questioned Delhi lieutenant governor V K Saxena’s inaction in the matter of transfer of services secretary Ashish More, ordered by the government hours after the SC verdict on May 11. The Aam Aadmi Party chief wondered whether Saxena had put More’s file on hold until the Centre’s ordinance reverting the SC order expected to be implemented next week.

Delhi LG VK Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attend a function in New Delhi. (File) (PTI)

“Why is LG Sahib not obeying the SC order? Why hasn't the Services Secretary signed the file for two days? It is being said that the Center is going to reverse the SC order by bringing an ordinance next week? Is the central government plotting to overturn the SC order? Is LG Sahib waiting for the ordinance, that's why not signing the file?” he wrote in a tweet in Hindi.

Read: Officers caught in Delhi LG-AAP tussle see tightrope ahead

Delhi services minister Saurabh Bharadwaj reiterated Kejriwal’s allegations and urged Saxena to clear the first order taken by the government following the SC ruling as the delay had paused other administrative changes . "Despite the apex court's order it is taking 9 days for a file to be approved. Why L-G is sitting on the file, we don't know when he is going to return the file", he said. In a letter to the LG, Bharadwaj said the Delhi government had sent the file two days ago.

Bhardwaj had earlier alleged that More went absconding despite the order and accused the L-G office of threatening the officers.

On Friday evening, a delegation of Delhi cabinet ministers, including Bhardwaj, finance minister Kailash Gahlot, Atishi and others, arrived at Raj Niwas to press the LG to follow the apex court’s order. Kejriwal later tweeted that he had requested for an appointment with ‘LG Sahib’ even as his ministers held a sit-in protest outside the latter's residence.

The Delhi government was given executive power in services matters, including transfer and posting of officers, in an important verdict by the Supreme Court last week.