Delhi LG Anil Baijal quits citing ‘personal reasons’

Served a tenure of five years and four months after taking charge following the sudden resignation of Najeeb Jung

NEW DELHI: Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal on Wednesday sent his resignation to President Ram Nath Kovind citing “personal reasons”, senior officials in his office said, a development that comes at a time the terms of the three civic bodies in the national capital are ending.

Baijal, a 1969-batch retired IAS officer, served a tenure of five years and four months after taking charge following the sudden resignation of Najeeb Jung. Though he was said to have a smoother equation with the AAP government compared to his

A 1969-batch retired IAS officer, Anil Baijal took over as Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor on December 31, 2016

Biggest tussle with Delhi govt was over clearance for CCTV project and doorstep delivery of ration. CM and ministers sat on a dharna at his office for nine days Repeated tussles over appointment of special public prosecutors in different legal cases Overruled Delhi govt’s plan to allow only city residents to be treated in Delhi hospitals

Played a key role in the Capital’s battle with the pandemic as chairperson of DDMA Worked on, ensured timely drafting of the Master Plan of Delhi-2041

predecessor, Baijal had frequent run-ins with the ruling dispensation too.

“He submitted his resignation to the President... he cited personal reasons for the same,” said a spokesperson in the LG office.

Among the sticking points between Baijal and the AAP government were those related to

administrative jurisdiction and governance. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues staged a nine-day dharna at the LG’S office in 2018 while demanding his approval to a Delhi government project.

Baijal rejected the Delhi government’s doorstep delivery of ration project and cancelled its home isolation programme, which was later reintroduced. He also blocked the Delhi government’s plan to allow only Delhi residents to be treated at city hospitals for Covid-19.

“During the Delta wave, he first got Covid-19 and now he had it again for the second time and completed his quarantine last Thursday. He is above 75 years of age and things are only likely to get heated up in Delhi from here owing to the unification of MCDS and the civic polls. So, he probably finally decided to step down. But yes, the talks of him leaving were on for a few months,” a senior official in Baijal’s office said, asking not to be named. Baijal’s resignation comes at a time when the terms of the three civic bodies are ending and the Centre has issued a notification for the unification of the three civic bodies which will be followed by the elections.

In Delhi, three subjects – land, services and law and order – directly come under the purview of the LG.