LG-Sisodia war of words on hiring of teachers escalates

Last week, Sisodia accused the LG of having made “a mockery of the whole governance system in Delhi, just because he has unconstitutional power to control the services department”. His remark came a day after the LG put on hold a proposal by the state’s Department of Education (DoE) to abolish 244 posts of principals and deputy education officers (DEOs)

Two days after deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia accused lieutenant governor VK Saxena of “unconstitutionally” taking over the Delhi government services department and stalling the recruitment of principals at state-run schools, the LG’s office on Monday hit back, saying the remarks were “patently false, bereft of facts and wrong, deliberately misleading, and in disregard of constitutional provisions and HC orders”.

New Delhi LG VK Saxena. (ANI)

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, hit back, challenged the LG to confirm if the file for abolition of 244 posts was routed through him.

The issue of appointment of principals at state-run schools has become a new source of friction in the ongoing tussle between Saxena and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi.

Last week, Sisodia accused the LG of having made “a mockery of the whole governance system in Delhi, just because he has unconstitutional power to control the services department”. His remark came a day after the LG put on hold a proposal by the state’s Department of Education (DoE) to abolish 244 posts of principals and deputy education officers (DEOs), while clearing the revival of 126 such posts.

Responding to the allegations on Tuesday, the LG office said, “It is wrong to claim that the LG had ‘taken over the Services Department unconstitutionally’. As per the constitutional scheme of governance of Delhi, as settled by the High Court of Delhi in its judgment dated 04.08.2016, the ‘Services’ is outside the legislative and executive domain of the Delhi government. Therefore, this statement of deputy CM is false and misleading and hence denied.”

The LG office also categorically denied Sisodia’s allegations that Saxena had withheld the appointment of principals on 244 posts. “In fact, the education department, under Manish Sisodia, submitted a proposal for revival of 126 posts and abolition of 244 posts of principal for approval of LG. These posts were deemed abolished in terms of OM (office memorandum) dated 12.04.2017 of ministry of finance (GoI) as these posts remained vacant for over five years, as the department could not fill these posts,” the LG office stated.

Sisodia countered LG’s assertion and challenged him to confirm if the file for abolition of 244 posts was routed through the education minister. “LG should stop taking credit, instead he should approve the appointment of 244 principals immediately,” he said. In the past also the AAP government has accused the LG of influencing the officers to bypass the ministers, a charge denied by the LG office.

The deputy chief minister also reiterated the need for a study on the need for principals in schools. “Schools exist in reality and are functioning every day. Why should a study decide whether a school needs a principal or not?” Sisodia said.