Delhi tussle

The LG is scheduled to meet Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia at his office at 3 pm on Friday, Baijal’s office confirmed. This will be the first meeting after Kejriwal and three of his cabinet colleagues staged a sit-in at the visitors’ lounge at the LG’S office for nine days starting June 11.

Kejriwal on Thursday also informed the LG about an order issued by Sisodia hours after the SC judgment, empowering the state Cabinet to effect the internal transfers of bureaucrats – a subject which until now had been under the L-G’S jurisdiction. The AAP government maintained its stand that the SC judgment made it clear that the LG in Delhi only has control over land, police and public order, while other subjects come under the government.

“If the files related to ‘services’ are placed before the LG and he acts on them, it would clearly amount to contempt of the Supreme Court in the light of aforesaid judgment. I am sure LG will never like to knowingly commit contempt of the Supreme Court,” Kejriwal said, after chief secretary Prakash on Wednesday returned a file to Sisodia saying that the order to withdraw powers of transfers of officers from the LG and other top bureaucrats was “legally untenable”.

The CM said in his letter to the L-G that on Friday he would issue a directive to every department asking officials to perform their duties in consonance with the SC judgment. “In case you have contrary views on any of the above issues, kindly do let me know. If you so desire, myself and my cabinet colleagues can come over for a discussion,” he wrote.

With bureaucrats refusing to follow his order, deputy chief minister Sisodia on Thursday evening issued a fresh directive to principal secretary (services) Geetanjali Gupta asking her to do so or face disciplinary action.

Sisodia also said the government could file a contempt of court petition against erring officers for not following orders related to the services department.

Bureaucrats HT spoke to said on condition of anonymity that they would wait until such a case is filed. The officers cite a ministry of home affairs notification that matters related to services come under the LG.