AAP looks at House panels to make officers more accountable

The AAP-led Delhi government which has had frequent run-ins with the LG and the Centre, is now looking at House committees to summon "erring officers" to make them "more accountable" for any laxity in work.
According to party sources, the "new tactic" was adopted after the Delhi House panel on desilting of drains recently recommended divesting senior IAS officer Ashwani Kumar of his responsibilities as the PWD and vigilance secretary and called for a probe to fix responsibility for "fraudulent payments" made to contractors.
The Petitions Committee had asked Chief Secretary M M Kutty to submit an action taken report to the House within a month.

A party leader said after being "pinioned" by the Lt governor and the Centre, the AAP has decided to take the help of House committees to make its officers accountable.
He also pointed out that the Delhi High Court's order last year which gave LG the primacy as the administrative head of the national capital, had made the case more difficult for the Arvind Kejriwal government.
"Officers do not comply with several orders given by the AAP ministers, making their accountability towards an elected government almost nil.

"The powers of the Delhi Assembly are similar to those of Parliament and so are the powers of the House committees. If the chief secretary does not take any action against the PWD secretary, he will be answerable to the House," the AAP leader said.

The ruling AAP has been using the Delhi Legislative Assembly to moot "people friendly resolutions".
Yesterday, the Delhi Assembly had adopted a resolution seeking 85 per cent reservation for graduates of universities in Delhi in the recruitment of permanent or guest teachers in schools here.
Recently, Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had sentenced two men to 30 days imprisonment for creating ruckus in the House.