After SC verdict, Kejriwal warns of major rejig, services secy is first to go

Officials said his is the first of a flurry of removals expected over the next few days, as the state government stamps its authority over the bureaucracy

The Delhi government on Thursday removed the state’s services secretary from his post, hours after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal warned of a major bureaucratic reshuffle in the Capital following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the elected administration’s powers to appoint and transfer officers.

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

The state government did not disclose reasons for the removal of services secretary Ashish More, though officials said his is the first of a flurry of removals expected over the next few days, as the state government stamps its authority over the bureaucracy.

More, an Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer from the batch of 2005, was replaced by AK Singh from the 1995 batch, state government officials aware of the matter said.

The top court on Thursday 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 speed of work in Delhi will increase multifold.

“We gave a model of education to the country. The work will happen at 10 times speed it was happening earlier. Delhi will now present a model of able governance to the entire country,” he said.

“My hands were tied and I was thrown in the water to swim. But we managed to stay afloat. Despite all obstacles, we did good work in Delhi.”

Kejriwal also said the government will identify and remove officers “who obstructed the elected government’s work” over the past few years, as the tussle over the services department roiled the Capital.

“There are some officers who in the last one-and-a-half years interrupted the work of the people of Delhi. Some officers stopped the supply of medicine to mohalla clinics and hospitals, some stopped payments to the DJB (Delhi Jal Board) and obstructed water supply at some places,” Kejriwal said, adding that these officers will have to “bear the consequences of their actions”.

Kejriwal said the reshuffle will help put in place a “responsible, lean, compassionate, accountable, and sympathetic administration” that will serve as a model for the country.

To be sure, it is unclear if LG VK Saxena will have to sign off on More’s removal, or indeed on other such decisions.

An LG secretariat official said, “When Sheila Dikshit was chief minister (1998-2013), the elected government took decisions about transfer and posting, and all files about transfer of officers of the rank of secretary and above and including head of departments were sent to the LG office for LG’s sign off while the transfer of everyone below them was done by the elected government without the LG’s approval. It is not yet clear how the system will work in the current scenario.”

More did not respond to requests seeking comment.

A senior Delhi government official said the verdict still leaves behind some gray areas. “The elected government cannot appoint the chief secretary because chief secretary is appointed by the Centre, or chief of the home department, because they deal with police matters. It can also not appoint the commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The government, however, can make transfers and posting for all other posts,” said a state government officer aware of the matter. A second officer confirmed these doubts.

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.

AGMUT cadre officers go up to become chief secretary while DANICS officers go up to the rank of the secretary in Delhi government.

Currently, around 80 IAS officers and 150 DANICS officers are posted with various departments and agencies of the Delhi government.

Many of them serve as the heads of different departments and are entrusted with the job of implementing the decisions taken by the government.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has blamed top officials of the state administration, including chief secretary Naresh Kumar and principal secretary (finance) Ashish Chandra Verma for obstructing its work.

A Delhi assembly panel this January asked the President and Union home ministry to act against the chief secretary for “creating an atmosphere of fear” in the state administration and “actively preventing officers from performing their duties.”

Officers in Saxena’s office, however, rejected these claims.

“It is clarified that no such request for the transfer or posting of any official was ever received from the chief minister or his ministers. Any assertion made in this regard is false and fabricated,” said an officer.

Kumar and Verma did not respond to requests for comment on Kejriwal’s comments.

Kejriwal on Thursday added that the government will abolish redundant posts. “Officers occupying such posts only create obstacles... Such posts will be identified and left vacant or abolished. More posts will be created in departments where they are required like in (health) for mohalla clinics.”

Kejriwal alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi snatched the power to appoint or transfer officers from Delhi’s elected government. “Around eight years ago, the PM got an order issued by the central government that the services in Delhi will remain with the LG or the Centre. It meant that I could not suspend any officer even though I could see that the officer was taking a bribe. We were struggling for eight years. The order was issued on purpose to stop the work of Delhi,” he said.

That order left the state government hamstrung, Kejriwal said.

Spokespersons of the Delhi BJP accused Kejriwal of trying to stoke fear and panic.

Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, leader of the opposition in the Delhi assembly, said, “The way the CM has threatened the bureaucracy, it seems he wants to enter a new phase of confrontation with them.”