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Row over removal of bureaucrat in Delhi
The move to replace More is yet to be finalised, with officials saying that “due process was not followed” by the AAP government
A day after the Delhi government said it has removed services department secretary Ashish More from his post, the bureaucrat continues to remain on his post, officials aware of the development said on Friday.
The Supreme Court on Thursday had ruled that Delhi’s elected government controls the city’s bureaucratic machinery, except those concerning public order, police and land, underlining that the lieutenant governor must act in step with the state council of ministers in all other subjects. Kejriwal, during a press briefing that followed the Supreme Court’s ruling, said the government will carry out a large-scale reshuffle in the bureaucracy.
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The issues over the transfer have resulted into a bureaucratic tussle in the Capital. The move to replace More is yet to be finalised, with officials saying that “due process was not followed” by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
An AAP government official said to initiate the large-scale administrative reshuffling, services minister Saurabh Bhardwaj instructed More to present a file for the transfer of a new officer to the post of secretary of services department. However, More unexpectedly left the Secretariat without notifying the minister’s office, rendering himself unreachable as his phone also remained switched off.
More did not come to office on Friday, and an official aware of the matter said he was on casual leave for a day.
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“Disturbingly, it has come to light that, possibly under the influence of the Central Government, the Special Secretary of the Services Department sent a communication to Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj, indicating that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notification dated May 21, 2015, has not yet been set aside. Along with this, the Services Secretary has not even initiated a file for posting a new officer,” said AAP government in a statement.
A bureaucrat posted with the Delhi government said transfers by AAP government cannot be implemented before the 2015 notification by the Union home ministry, which placed the services under the preview of the LG, is formally rescinded in the wake of the Supreme Court order. “Such steps normally take a few days for clarity before decisions in the wake of the latest SC order can be implemented. It cannot be construed as the contempt of court, but rather as a procedural delay,” the official said, declining to be named.
The LG office did not respond to requests for comments.
More and other officers in the services department officials also did not comment on the contentions of the Delhi government.
Delhi’s administration is largely operated by bureaucrats who work at two levels. The upper rung is supplied by IAS officers from the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, who are posted with the Delhi government. At the second rung are officers from the Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (DANICS) services, who are part of the state civil services. Currently, around 80 IAS officers and 150 DANICS officers are posted with various departments and agencies of the Delhi government.
A Delhi government official said under instructions from lieutenant governor VK Saxena and central government, special secretary (services) refused to implement the Supreme Court judgement on the services matter. “The services secretary was directed to present transfer order only after following the due process. However, they refused to even initiate the file, refusing to implement the SC order,” said the AAP official.
The special secretary (services) services did not comment on the development.