Delhi govt employees divided over Services dept
Even as the Delhi government has started clearing pending projects on a war footing, the impasse between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal over the Services department could still defer the approved projects.
Officials in the Delhi government are still divided over who has jurisiction of the Services department. While top officials mostly try to obedient to the Centre, lower and middle level officials of the government are showing an affinity towards the elected government.
“We have already sorted out all our issues and the work environment has changed a lot. We do not have complaints from our side and we want to co-operate with the government,” said an official.
He added that the Services department and the related issues have nothing to do with them, but for IAS officials it is a bone of contention.
“Top officials are appointed by the Centre and they share a good rapport with them. But we are limited within this Secretariat and we do not have doubts in whom to support,” said another official.
Other officials said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal personally met them and sorted out their issues. “The CM and other ministers are in touch with us and we are all trying to create a better environment. Yes, we participated in the protest and will again do if needed, but that is not the solution. We believe in dialogues,” said another officer.
Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia met Baijal on Friday, seeking his cooperation in Delhi’s development and good governance.
The meeting came two days after the Supreme Court ruled that the LG, as the Centre’s representative, was bound by the Constitution to listen to Delhis democratically elected government.
“We met the LG Anil Baijal today, and he refused to agree that Services department has come under the elected government in Delhi. He said that the 2015 MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) order has not been quashed by the Supreme Court,” he had told media persons on Friday.
In a letter to Kejriwal, Baijal pointed to the 2015 MHA notification issuing “Presidential directions” under Article 239 and 239AA of the Constitution.
It said that ‘Services’ falls outside the purview of the Legislative Assembly of the NCT of Delhi and consequently the government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi will have no executive powers in relation to ‘services’.
“The said notification was also upheld by the high court of Delhi in its judgement on August 4, 2016,” the letter said.
“In the wake of the judgement of the learned Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court, the MHA has advised that as per concluding paras of judgement, the nine appeals including the one relating to ‘Services’ shall be taken up by the learned regular bench and the MHA notification dated 21.05.2015 continue to be valid,” the letter from the LG’S office stated.