Kejriwal office may soon be ‘officer-less’

New Delhi, June 2: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s office is currently running short of officers with sources saying the office may soon go “officer-less.”

Sources said two Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (Danics) officers, posted as additional secretaries in the chief minister’s office (CMO), are on their way out as one has been transferred while the other has applied for study leave.

They said Sukesh Jain, Indian Revenue Services officer posted as Officer on Special Duty in the CMO, has also applied for repatriation in his parent cadre which is likely to be “accepted” and he would be relieved of his current assignment.

“Additional secretary Geetika Sharma has been transferred, while another additional secretary Deepak Virmani has applied for study leave.

“The CMO could soon become officer-less as the office was already running short of officers after two senior officers, principal secretary Rajendra Kumar and deputy secretary Tarun Sharma were suspended following the CBI case last year,” a source said. Another senior IAS officer, S.S. Yadav, the then VAT commissioner who was attached with the CM office, had also proceeded on study leave last year. AAP government functionaries alleged that all conventions to take the chief minister into confidence in matters of transfer and posting of officers in the CMO are being bypassed.