Half-a-dozen Danics officers transferred

The AAP government has transferred over half-a-dozen Danics officers, including special secretary (home) Subhash Chandra who had been suspended for reportedly refusing to issue order pertaining to appointment of public prosecutors as the government did not have prior approval of lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung.

Mr Chandra has been transferred as special commissioner (employment). Ajay Garg, holding the charge of special commissioner vigilance (industries) with additional charge of vigilance officer for departments of revenue, development, directorate of agricultural marketing, industries, election and directorate of economic and statistics, will replace Mr Chandra as the special secretary (home). Mr Chandra’s suspension had created a controversy which eventually led to a day’s strike by Danics and IAS officers in Delhi against the AAP government. Following this, the lieutenant-governor had struck down Delhi home minister Satyendar Jain’s directive ordering a cut in salaries of the special secretary of the home department. In a communiqué to chief secretary K.K. Sharma, the lieutenant-governor’s secretary S.C.L. Das had directed the Delhi government to ensure full compliance of the Union home ministry’s order, dated December 31, 2015, that had declared suspension of the two officers void ab initio and non est. Despite that, Mr Chandra was treated as suspended officer by the AAP government.

After the lieutenant-governor’s order, a source said that the pay and accounts department had released full salary of Mr Chandra. Later, the salaries of the two officers were cut to half. Last month, Mr Chandra was reinstated by the AAP government stating that he was never suspended as his cadre controlling authority was the Union home ministry which had declared the AAP government’s order ab initio void and non est.

Besides Mr Chandra, Danics officer Manish Garg, who was posted as additional director (education), has been transferred as additional secretary of the department for the welfare of SC/STs, OBCs and minorities. Rajesh Goyal, posted as joint CEO of electoral office, has been transferred as joint commissioner (VAT).