AAP govt to ask home secy to vacate office

The Delhi government has hardened its position against Lt Governor-appointed Home Secretary Dharam Pal, even though the Union Home Ministry asked him to continue in the position. Pal was told by the AAP government to obey the order transferring him to the Centre.The Delhi government is planning to ask him to immediately relinquish his post via a letter, threatening to take action if he does not follow the order.

According to sources, Delhi Home Minister Satyender Jain has written a letter saying that Pal was "unauthorisedly" occupying his office.

When contacted, Pal said he will continue as Home Secretary and will not vacate his office.

"I will sit in my office on Monday and continue as Home Secretary because my appointment, which is constitutional, has been made by the LG," he told PTI.

Four days back, Pal was firmly told by AAP government to obey its order transferring him to the Centre, even though the Union Home Ministry threw its weight behind him and asked him to continue in the position.

According to the sources, Jain in the letter has said that Pal had been relieved by the government on June 9 and if he continued to occupy office in the secretariat, it would be considered as unauthorized occupation and that government would take disciplinary action in the matter.

The AAP government recently removed Pal as Home Secretary for notifying the appointment of M K Meena as chief of Delhi's Anti Corruption Branch which was done on the orders of Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has strongly opposed Meena'a appointment as ACB chief superseding his hand picked officer S S Yadav.

The Home Ministry had last week told Delhi Chief Secretary K K Sharma to ensure that Pal continues as Delhi's Home Secretary.

Following the Home Ministry's order, the Chief Secretary had asked senior IAS officer Rajendra Kumar, appointed as Home Secretary in place of Pal, to not continue in that post and allow Pal to work without any hindrance.

However, AAP government has been routing all files related to Home Department through Kumar, who was also Secretary to Kejriwal, maintaining that he is the Home Secretary.