LG sacks 400 ‘specialists’ hired by Delhi govt

The AAP government hit back, saying the sackings are unconstitutional, and added that the LG’s move will be challenged in court

Lieutenant governor VK Saxena has sacked around 400 people installed by the Delhi government as “specialists” to various departments, citing the “non-transparent manner” in which they were appointed, LG secretariat officials aware of the development said on Monday.

LG VK Saxena sacked the people citing the “non-transparent manner” in which they were appointed. (PTI)

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government hit back, saying the sackings are unconstitutional, and added that the LG’s move will be challenged in court.

LG secretariat officials said the services department recently compiled information received from 23 departments and agencies which have engaged private persons as “specialists”.

They said that the 400 people who have been dismissed were appointed by the Delhi government as advisors, fellows, consultants, and senior research officers across the 22 departments and agencies in the Capital. “These private persons were engaged in a non-transparent manner and without the mandatory approvals of the competent authority. The appointments of these personnel also did not follow the mandatory reservation policy for SC/ST/OBC candidates prescribed by the department of personnel and training (DoPT),” an official said, declining to be named.

“It was observed that the provisions of reservations for SC/ST/OBC prescribed by the DoPT order dated May 15, 2018, for the reservation in temporary appointments lasting for 45 days or more, have also not been followed in these engagements,” the above quoted official said.

The official said the LG has ordered that action will be initiated against department administrative secretaries if they do not follow services department instructions on the appointment of private people.

A list of the 400 people sacked was not immediately available.

The officials said that of the 400, at least 155 officials were engaged in 13 boards and autonomous bodies of the Delhi government, while 187 others were engaged by the Delhi Assembly Research Centre (DARC), Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDCD), and the department of planning.

However, the LG has left room for the re-engagement of these 400 people. “If any administrative department finds it appropriate to continue such engagements, it may propose the detailed cases with proper justification and forward them to the services department for onward submission to LG for consideration and approval,” the official said.

The official said the services department had also found that 11 specialists in four departments — health and family welfare, food safety, Indira Gandhi hospital, and transport, were engaged with the approval of the LG. The LG also noted that the cabinet note for the chief minister urban leader fellowship programme, under which 50 fellows and associate fellows were engaged, was approved in 2018 and 2021 by the competent authority.

In response, the Delhi government in a statement said that the “specialists” were hired following due process.

“LG does not have the power to do so (sack the specialists). He is acting illegally and against the Constitution. His only purpose is to find new ways every day to paralyse Delhi government so that the people of Delhi suffer... He chose to punish these 400 talented young professionals only because they chose to associate with Delhi government… This unconstitutional decision will be challenged before the court of law,” the statement said.

This is not the first time that such specialists have been sacked. In April 2018, the then LG Anil Baijal had cancelled the appointments of nine people working as advisors and consultants to the Delhi government — including that of senior AAP leader Atishi, who then worked as advisor to the then deputy CM Manish Sisodia — because they were appointed without necessary approvals.