Watch | ‘Got what he was desperate for’: BJP mounts attack on Kejriwal after SC verdict on ‘power’ tussle

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva alleged that CM Kejriwal will now transfer officials in large numbers based on personal preferences.

Reacting to the Supreme Court verdict on power tussle between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, which favoured the former, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Thursday and alleged the Aam Aadmi Party chief will transfer officials in large numbers now.

Delhi LG VK Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attend a function in New Delhi. (PTI file)

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said "Arvind Kejriwal has got what he was desperate for...he will transfer officials in large numbers, this means he will now make transfer postings an industry.” “Officers will now not be asked to serve on merit but on personal preferences of the AAP government,” he said.

Sachdeva’s comments followed Kejriwal's press conference, in which the CM expressed gratitude to the court for delivering ‘justice’ and issued a warning to officers who hindered the Delhi government's work, and said “they will have to pay for their deeds”. As Kejriwal indicated a major reshuffle in the bureaucracy in the days ahead, soon a notification by the AAP government followed in the evening, which said that it had removed services secretary Ashish More from his post.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ruled that the Delhi government holds legislative and executive powers regarding the administration of services, with the exception of public order, police, and land matters. Prior to the ruling, the Services department was controlled by the LG under a 2015 notification under which the Centre claimed control over services in the national capital.

In the verdict, A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, ruled unanimously that the democratically elected government should have control over its officers.