Who is Ashish More, the officer at loggerheads with the Delhi government?

The Delhi government removed Services secretary Ashish More following the Supreme Court's last week verdict.

Days after being removed as Delhi Services secretary, Ashish More was on Monday issued a show cause notice by the Delhi government for not complying with its direction to replace him with a new officer.

The state government did not disclose reasons for the removal of services secretary Ashish More.(HT Photo)

More was removed from his post last week, hours after the Supreme Court gave the AAP dispensation control over the transfer and posting of officers in the state.

More has now decided to comply with the directive regarding his transfer order, the Arvind Kejriwal government announced.

On Thursday, the apex court had ruled that the elected government in Delhi has legislative and executive powers over services department matters, barring those related to land, police and public order that still come under the jurisdiction of the lieutenant governor.

Earlier, the transfers and postings of all Delhi government officers were decided by the lieutenant governor.

Who is Ashish More and what is the row over his transfer?

1) Born in 1980, More, an IAS officer, hails from Maharashtra. He graduated with a degree in bachelor of arts and earlier served as the general administration department secretary of the Delhi government before being appointed as the services secretary in 2022.

2) More was issued a show cause notice by the services minister, threatening disciplinary action against him for refusing to comply with the orders. “His sudden change of stance comes after he was served with a show cause notice by the services minister demanding an explanation for his unauthorised absence,” the government’s statement said on Monday.

3) His removal followed shortly after the chief minister’s indication of a major reshuffle in the bureaucracy. It has been alleged by the Delhi government that More is not politically neutral. "...conduct of Ashish Madhavrao More, secretary (services) has revealed that his conduct is highly unbecoming of an IAS officer of the rank secretary to the GNCTD, he is not politically neutral, he has deliberately denied to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and democratic values. And, he has refused to maintain discipline by his conduct under extraneous considerations and failed to show professionalism and dedication," a memo issued by the Services minister read. His attitude to work was “obstructive and dubious” and his “decision making” was "biased,” the memo claimed.

4)“...from the conduct of More it is apparent that after knowing about the intention of Delhi government to transfer him from the post of secretary services, he has been trying through illegal means to continue upon the said post for attaining some ulterior objectives," alleged the memo.

5) Meanwhile, news agency PTI citing sources reported that the order for More's transfer was passed without following the protocol of consulting the Civil Services Board (CSB), which deals with matters related to the transfer of IAS officers. The board will hold a meeting today, chaired by Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, to consider the AAP government's directions to transfer officers, including More.