Asked L-G not to remove 2 officers: Manish Sisodia

Just days after the Delhi high court stamped the primacy of the lieutenant-governor in the Delhi administration, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia alleged on Friday that L-G Najeeb Jung has “taken away” the powers of the chief minister and ministers to appoint even their peons and clerks by issuing an order.

The lieutenant-governor’s office has clarified the order is restricted to the transfers and postings of IAS and Danics officers and said the Civil Services Board has been constituted by the lieutenant-governor to ensure “transparency” in bureaucratic reshuffles.

The deputy CM said he has requested Mr Jung not to transfer the AAP government’s two top officials — PWD secretary Sarvagya Srivastava and health secretary Tarun Seem — as they are looking after the Kejriwal government’s ambitious projects, including setting up of mohalla clinics and construction of new school buildings.

“After the L-G’s order, elected chief minister and ministers don’t have power to appoint their peons and clerks. There is no confusion after the high court which states that services come under the L-G. In today’s meeting, I requested him not to remove PWD and health secretaries as both officers are engaged in projects like mohalla clinics and construction of new school buildings,” Mr Sisodia said. Mr Sisodia said that mohalla clinics and schools are the best initiatives that the AAP government has been undertaking and hence he had requested Mr Jung to let them work. “Even if we have to beg or request L-G, we would do it, but we would not let the work stop for the benefit of the national capital,” he added.

Rejecting the deputy’s CM claim that the city ministers don’t have power to appoint peons and clerks, the L-G’s office clarified that Mr Jung had constituted the Civil Services Board on August 9 to look into transfers and postings of IAS and (Delhi, Andaman Nicobar Island Civil Services) officers.