Don’t implement L-G decision, says Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Alleging that lieutenant- governor Najeeb Jung was acting like there was “President’s rule” in Delhi, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday directed the chief secretary and DCW chief Swati Maliwal not to implement L-G’s decision to appoint Dilraj Kaur as member secretary of the women’s body.

Triggering another round of confrontation, Mr Kejriwal further added that P.P. Dhal will continue to hold the post of officiating member secretary of the DCW (Delhi Commission for Women), which Mr Jung had declared “illegal ab-initio”.

In a file noting, the chief minister directed the Delhi chief secretary M.M. Kutty and DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal to not implement the decision of the L-G to appoint Ms Kaur, saying matters related to the woman’s body fall under the list of “transferred subjects”. In case the L-G has a difference of opinion over these matters, he is required to settle them through discussion, Mr Kejriwal said.

The CM had recently accused Mr Jung of acting like “Hitler” over the issue. “By resorting to taking unilateral decisions bypassing the elected government, the L-G is acting in a manner as if there is no democratically elected government in Delhi and instead President’s rule is in vogue,” the CM wrote.

The L-G office had said the appointment of Ms Kaur was temporary and necessitated by retirement of Alka Diwan. “The post fell vacant so a stop-gap arrangement was made. This is a temporary appointment as the lieutenant-governor felt the post should not remain vacant considering its importance,” an official in the L-G office had said. While turning down Dhal’s appointment, Mr Jung had also pointed out instances of alleged irregularities in appointments in DCW, which are being probed by the Anti-Corruption Branch.

“The complaints received by L-G about the so-called irregular appointments have been made by the people belonging to the Delhi BJP,” Mr Kejriwal said.

As per the note, the government had moved a proposal for appointment of Ms Dhal as Member Secretary on August 19. The file was pending in LG office for several months and was returned to the Chief Minister on December 15, it said. Merely some complaints or an audit does not give any authority to the LG to disregard the proposal of the elected government, DCW said in a statement.

Referring to the August 4 Delhi High Court order that had held the LG’s primacy as the city’s administrative head, Kejriwal said even that does not empower the LG to take “unilateral decisions bypassing the elected government”. “I am sending a copy of this note to the Chief Secretary and Chairperson, DCW to wait for final outcome in the matter and not to implement your directions to give charge to Secretary WCD. In the meantime, Dhal will hold the charge in officiating capacity,” he said.