LG's move to stop specialists' engagement will throttle govt's work, says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. File Pic

Stopping the engagement of specialists and advisors will "completely strangulate" Delhi government and its services, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday, hoping the move will be quashed by the Supreme Court.

Arvind Kejriwal's remarks came days after Lt governor VK Saxena approved the termination of engagements of 400 specialists working with the Delhi government.

In a follow up to the mass removal, the Services department on Wednesday wrote to different departments and agencies of government to stop engagement of persons as fellows and advisors without the approval of the LG.

"This will completely strangulate Delhi govt and its services. I don't know what does Hon'ble LG achieve by doing all this? I hope Hon'ble SC immediately quashes it," Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet on Thursday.

Saxena terminated the services of around 400 'specialists' appointed by the Kejriwal government in different departments, citing alleged irregularities in recruitment.

"... All the departments/organizations/boards, etc. under Govt. of NCT of Delhi are therefore directed... All the departments shall immediately stop engagements of all the Fellows/Associate, Fellows/Advisors/Dy. Advisors/Specialists/Senior Research Officers/Consultants, by whatever name, wherein approval of the Hon'ble Lt Governor, Delhi has not been obtained till date," said the Services department order, reported PTI.

It also asked the Finance Department not to release salaries henceforth for those engaged without the LG's approval.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to hit the streets against the Centre's ordinance on control of services in Delhi, with the party burning copies and symbolic effigies of the controversial order.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the AAP said effigies and copies of the "black ordinance" will be burnt from July 6 to July 13 at various localities, streets and intersections across Delhi, serving as a powerful reminder of the people's discontent.

Notably, the development comes after the Arvind Kejriwal-led party earlier called off the protest as it had approached the Supreme Court over the matter. The party had then said that the matter was sub judice.

The party, however, did not give a reason as to why the protest was revived.

The Centre on May 19 promulgated the ordinance to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, with the AAP government calling the move a deception with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services.

The ordinance came a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi, excluding police, public order and land, to the elected government. It has set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings of Group A officers.

Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the May 11 verdict of the apex court.

Following the ordinance, Kejriwal has been reaching out to leaders of non-BJP parties to garner their support against the ordinance so that the Centre's bid to replace it through a Bill is defeated when it is brought in Parliament.

(With inputs from PTI)