No approval from L-G: New Tihar DG steps down

AAP GOVT VS JUNG, AGAIN

SENIOR IPS OFFICER J K Sharma, who was appointed the director general of Tihar Jail by the AAP government, Wednesday stepped down on the grounds that the Lt Governor’s approval had not been sought before making the appointment.

The issue has turned into another jurisdictional fight between the AAP government and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, who have had several disagreements on the distribution of power in the capital.

In a letter to Delhi Principal Secretary (Home) S N Sahai, Sharma said since his appointment order had not been issued with the approval of the competent authority — the Lt Governor — the charge taken over by him “is returned to his preceding officer”.

His letter comes a day after the Lt Governor held that Sharma’s appointment to the post was “null and void”. Sources in the L-G’S office confirmed that Sharma had refused to take charge as Jung’s approval had not been sought before his appointment.

“With reference to order dated April 19, 2016, I took over the look after charge of Director General (Prisons) in addition to my own duties as Director General (Home Guards) but since the order is not issued with the approval of competent authority, hence the charge taken over by the undersigned (Sharma) is hereby returned to the earlier officer who was holding the charge,” Sharma stated in his letter to Sahai.

He said he would be “happy” to resume the charge once his appointment was granted approval by the competent authority.

Jung and the AAP government have sparred over many senior-level appointments, including that of Swati Maliwal as the chief of the Delhi Commission for Women. The Lt Governor had claimed that Maliwal’s appointment had no legal sanctity as it was done without seeking his permission, which was imperative.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had hit back, accusing Jung of acting on the behest of PM Narendra Modi. The issue had triggered a letter war between the chief minister and the Lt Governor.

Jung had, finally, approved the appointment of Maliwal after the Chief Minister’s office had sent the file concerned to him.