Files row: Jung goes to MHA
Delhi officials deny confrontation with L- G, say ready to resolve controversy
The ongoing tussle between chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and lieutenant- governor Najeeb Jung over routing of files through their respective offices escalated further on Tuesday as the L- G reportedly complained to the Union home ministry saying that two senior bureaucrats were not giving correct advice on the transaction of business rules to the AAP government in the national capital.
In a note to the Union home ministry, Mr Jung is said to have complained that the two bureaucrats, holding senior positions in the AAP government, had not been giving correct advice to the administration. A highly- placed source said that the lieutenant- governor personally brought the matter to the notice of the Union home ministry.
There is a total confusion in the city government and bureaucracy over the tug of war going on between Mr Jung and Mr Kejriwal over routing of files through their respective offices. In an escalation of hostilities between Raj Nivas and the Delhi government, the L- G had written to the CM that all government files must come to him.
Late on Tuesday, Delhi officials clarified that there was no confrontation with lieutenant- governor’s office over routing of files. However, they said that the demarcation of jurisdiction was not clear, and this could be resolved through dialogue between the two offices. The officials said that they are ready to discuss the role and jurisdiction of the two offices and demarcate the boundaries.
In a sharp rejoinder on Sunday, Mr Jung referred to the Constitution and the Delhi Government Act to underscore that “the role of the chief minister and the Council of Ministers is to aid and advise” the lieutenant- governor, who is the “final authority of all laws enacted by the Assembly and decisions taken by the government.”
Earlier, Mr Kejriwal’s secretary Rajendra Kumar had directed that files pertaining to all subjects transferred to the Delhi Legislative Assembly under Article 239AA( 3)( a) of the Constitution of India should be decided at appropriate level up to the office of the chief minister, without bothering the office of the lieutenant- governor. A close confidant of Mr Kejriwal said that the business transaction rules of the NCT Act clearly said that the “L- G shall in respect of matters connected with public order, police and land, exercise his executive functions to the extent delegated to him by the President in consultation with the CM, if it is so provided under any order issued by the President under Article 239 of the Constitution.”
Many bureaucrats said they just cannot afford to go against the orders of the chief minister as he was the immediate boss of the city government. At the same time, these bureaucrats also cannot ignore the orders and directions of Mr Jung as he was the functional head of the government and the GNCTD Act 1991 stipulates that the L- G is the government in Delhi.
Many senior officials are finding it difficult to adjust themselves in the current regime due to trust deficit between the government and the bureaucracy. In such a situation, the source said that the principal secretaries or secretaries of the concerned departments and chief secretary K. K. Sharma will have to take a call on “what should they do.”
A senior officer said that the L- G should make it crystal clear which files should be sent to the Raj Nivas.
Another senior city bureaucrat said that he would be sending his files to the chief secretary’s office, which will take a decision on which of these should be forwarded to Raj Nivas.