L-G rejects AAP nominee for key post

NEW DELHI: Lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung has reportedly turned down the proposal of appointing 2002 batch IAS officer Ankur Garg as city’s new VAT commissioner.

Sources said the L-G office refused to appoint Garg, who currently holds the post of district magistrate (South West district) besides handling the IT initiatives of the revenue department, as VAT Commissioner because he was ‘junior’ to hold the key post. L-G office has directed AAP government to suggest name of another officer for the post.

Sources said only an officer who has reached the rank of secretary can become VAT commissioner. “As per convention, such posts are held at least by secretary-level officer in any state, which is equivalent to joint secretary in the Centre. In other words, the officer needs to have attained pay band IV and grade pay of 10,000. Going by his seniority, Garg would take another three years to reach that level,” a senior Delhi government official said.

The development comes in wake of Centre transferring VAT commissioner Vijay Kumar to Lakshadweep last week. Kumar, appointed VAT Commissioner by Arvind Kejriwal government three months back, was transferred despite the chief minister requesting the Union home ministry not to transfer him as he was holding a key post in the government, leading to a fresh round of tug of war over administrative jurisdiction between the AAP government and L-G office.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia alleged that the transfer of VAT commissioner Kumar was done by the Centre under pressure from “big traders who were involved in tax evasion by running fake companies and were allegedly involved in hawala deals”.

VAT is the biggest source of revenue for the Delhi government and over 80% of its revenue receipts come through it.

While the senior AAP functionaries said there could be some technicalities involved in appointment, they argued that such requirements have been waived in the past while giving charge to ‘junior’ officers.