Delhi LG vs CM: Lt Governor terminates services of 400 private 'specialists' engaged by Kejriwal govt

In a move that could further escalate the fight between the Delhi LG and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lt Governor V K Saxena has terminated the services of around 400 'specialists' appointed by the AAP government, the news agency PTI reported on Monday. In a statement, the LG Office said they were engaged in a "non-transparent manner" and without the mandatory approvals of the competent authority.

The appointments also did not follow the mandatory reservation policy for SC, ST, and OBC candidates prescribed by the Department of Personnel and Training, it added. "Delhi LG, VK Saxena has agreed to the proposal of the Services department to immediately terminate the services of about 400 private persons engaged as Fellows/Associate Fellows/Advisors/Dy Advisors/Specialists/Senior Research Officers/Consultants, etc by Delhi government in its various departments and agencies," the LG office statement said.

The LG's move may spark another round of attack from Arvind Kejriwal, who has already been targeting the Lt Governor and Centre for bringing an ordinance to control the civil servants working in Delhi.

On Sunday, the Delhi government said the National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA), set up by the Centre through an ordinance to control the transfer of officers, has been reduced to a "complete farce" as the bureaucrats are overturning decisions taken by the chief minister and dictating their own will.

The statement came days after the second meeting of the NCCSA during which two member-bureaucrats "did not oppose" Kejriwal's stand but later on cancelled his decisions. The authority comprises the chief minister as chairperson, with the chief secretary and principal secretary (home) as members. All decisions are taken based on a simple majority.

"This simple majority has enabled the bureaucrats to override the CM's decisions, effectively granting them unchecked power over the authority's operations. Consequently, the Chief Minister's voice, representing the will of the elected government and the people of Delhi, finds itself in the minority within the NCCSA," the statement read.

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