AAP accuses finance secretary of defying govt order, calls Delhi Services Act 'unconstitutional'
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal slammed the GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2023, as a licence for the bureaucrats to "openly rebel" against the orders of an elected government and defy ministers' directions.
- Sep 1, 2023,
- Updated Sep 1, 2023 2:05 PM IST
Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, slammed the GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2023, as a licence for the bureaucrats to "openly rebel" against the orders of an elected government and defy ministers' directions.
“Delhi Services Act gives license to officers to openly rebel against written orders of elected govt. And officers have started refusing to obey the orders of elected Ministers. Can any state or country or institution run like this? This Act will ruin Delhi and this is what BJP wants. The act needs to be struck down as soon as possible,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The sharp reaction came as Delhi Minister Atishi said that after the Chief Secretary now the Principal Secretary (Finance) has written a lengthy 40-page letter denying to comply the order of the elected government.
She said that the principal secretary (finance) Ashish Chandra Verma refused to comply with her direction to depute a lawyer to file a petition in the Supreme Court challenging a High Court order against the Delhi government in a matter related to GST refund.
Atishi claimed that the fear of a "revolt" by the officers after the enforcement of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Amendment Act, 2023, seems to be coming true.
She alleged that efforts were on to scuttle the Delhi government's functioning using the Services Act.
Atishi said her predecessor Kailash Gahlot had in June directed filing a petition in the Supreme Court in the GST matter involving a refund value of around Rs 1 crore. She said that on July 12, she too issued a similar order.
"It was not any controversial matter, it was only a day-to-day matter. But from June 5 till date, the case has not been filed even on the request of the ministers. Now by sending a 40-page letter, the principal secretary of finance refuses to accept the order," she said.
She said the finance secretary claimed the lawyer cannot be appointed by her but the Lieutenant Governor would do it.
"Now they are saying that if the Delhi government goes to the court against the LG, then the LG will decide who will be the lawyer," she said.
The minister also attacked the Centre questioning if officers were being asked to sabotage the elected government in Delhi.
"I want to ask again: Has the central government instructed the officers in Delhi to sabotage democracy and refuse to obey every order of the elected government? Does the matter of triple chain of accountability mentioned in the order of the Supreme Court have no importance for them?," she asked.
Atishi, who holds several portfolios including Services and Vigilance in the Kejriwal government, had alleged earlier that Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar was not obeying her order concerning coordination among Delhi government departments and the National Capital Civil Services Authority, NCCSA.
Meanwhile, the AAP government, in a statement, termed the legislation "unconstitutional" that "took away" the vested powers of the democratically elected government in Delhi.
In its statement, the Delhi government said, "However, anything outside the purview of NCCSA is within the power of the elected government and, unfortunately, the LG is forming a cabal with the bureaucrats of the central government. Vicious attempts are being made to snatch the remaining power left with the Delhi Government."
Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, slammed the GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2023, as a licence for the bureaucrats to "openly rebel" against the orders of an elected government and defy ministers' directions.
“Delhi Services Act gives license to officers to openly rebel against written orders of elected govt. And officers have started refusing to obey the orders of elected Ministers. Can any state or country or institution run like this? This Act will ruin Delhi and this is what BJP wants. The act needs to be struck down as soon as possible,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The sharp reaction came as Delhi Minister Atishi said that after the Chief Secretary now the Principal Secretary (Finance) has written a lengthy 40-page letter denying to comply the order of the elected government.
She said that the principal secretary (finance) Ashish Chandra Verma refused to comply with her direction to depute a lawyer to file a petition in the Supreme Court challenging a High Court order against the Delhi government in a matter related to GST refund.
Atishi claimed that the fear of a "revolt" by the officers after the enforcement of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Amendment Act, 2023, seems to be coming true.
She alleged that efforts were on to scuttle the Delhi government's functioning using the Services Act.
Atishi said her predecessor Kailash Gahlot had in June directed filing a petition in the Supreme Court in the GST matter involving a refund value of around Rs 1 crore. She said that on July 12, she too issued a similar order.
"It was not any controversial matter, it was only a day-to-day matter. But from June 5 till date, the case has not been filed even on the request of the ministers. Now by sending a 40-page letter, the principal secretary of finance refuses to accept the order," she said.
She said the finance secretary claimed the lawyer cannot be appointed by her but the Lieutenant Governor would do it.
"Now they are saying that if the Delhi government goes to the court against the LG, then the LG will decide who will be the lawyer," she said.
The minister also attacked the Centre questioning if officers were being asked to sabotage the elected government in Delhi.
"I want to ask again: Has the central government instructed the officers in Delhi to sabotage democracy and refuse to obey every order of the elected government? Does the matter of triple chain of accountability mentioned in the order of the Supreme Court have no importance for them?," she asked.
Atishi, who holds several portfolios including Services and Vigilance in the Kejriwal government, had alleged earlier that Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar was not obeying her order concerning coordination among Delhi government departments and the National Capital Civil Services Authority, NCCSA.
Meanwhile, the AAP government, in a statement, termed the legislation "unconstitutional" that "took away" the vested powers of the democratically elected government in Delhi.
In its statement, the Delhi government said, "However, anything outside the purview of NCCSA is within the power of the elected government and, unfortunately, the LG is forming a cabal with the bureaucrats of the central government. Vicious attempts are being made to snatch the remaining power left with the Delhi Government."