Jung controls Delhi postings, says Centre

Delhi govt refuses to comply, consulting constitutional experts on gazette notification

The Union home ministry on Friday issued a gazette notification stating Delhi’s Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had sole jurisdiction over posting and transfer of officials and he could consult the chief minister if he desired.

The notification also barred the city government’s anti corruption branch from probing offences by officials of central government services. Within hours of the notification, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of trying to run Delhi through the backdoor and trying to shield the corrupt by keeping the “transfer-posting industry” alive.

Kejriwal said his government was seeking views of constitutional experts on the notification and a decision would be taken accordingly.  The Centre’s move was slammed by the Congress and the Left parties, which accused it of coercive centralisation.

The notification comes days after Jung and Kejriwal took their fight to President Pranab Mukherjee. Over the past fortnight, both have been by turns issuing orders for removal and appointment of officers, to be shot down by the other.

A principal secretary found he had been locked out of his office at the Delhi Secretariat.  “The circular issued by the home ministry is a clarificatory note. We do not want that offices get locked due to confusion,” Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday.  

The notification states Delhi does not have its own state public services or a state public service commission, therefore all appointments and transfers of officials of the central government services are under the jurisdiction of the  Lt Governor.

Addressing a press conference soon after the notification, Kejriwal said, “I have nothing against the Lt Governor. I am not in a fight with him. The Lt Governor is just a face. All the calls are made by the prime minister’s office; the Lt Governor only follows decisions.”

Kejriwal on Friday alleged the “Centre wanted control over the transfer-posting industry through the Lt Governor. By bringing in the notification, the Centre has back-stabbed the people of Delhi. Our government has brought corruption down in the last three months; 36 officials have been arrested and 52 have been suspended. There is terror among corrupt officials. Now the Centre wants that if the Anti Corruption Branch sees any sort of corruption by central government employees, it should overlook it.”

Senior Congress leader Digjivay Singh tweeted, “I am not a great admirer of Kejriwal, but not allowing the CM to decide on transfer and postings of officers is to negate the people's mandate.”

Brinda Karat, member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo, said, “The CPI(M) supports full statehood for Delhi. The present situation underlines urgency for this.”