No orders for staff to be passed by CS without his nod: Delhi minister

Delhi Services Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday directed that no orders pertaining to employees will be passed by the chief secretary or the services department without his approval, amid a growing discord between bureaucrats and the city government.

The order comes close on the heels of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government seeking the Centre's approval to appoint 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service officer PK Gupta as the new chief secretary of Delhi.

Gupta is currently serving as additional chief secretary in the general administration department (GAD) of the Delhi government. The present chief secretary, Naresh Kumar, is due to retire later this year, officials said.

"In supercession of all earlier orders, it is hereby directed that no orders for any category of employees shall be passed by the chief secretary or secretary (services) or services department without the approval of the undersigned," Bharadwaj said in an order signed by him.

This order is the latest in a series of directions passed by the aaP dispensation after being given executive power in services matters, including transfer and posting of officers, in an important verdict by the Supreme Court.

On May 13, Special Secretary (Vigilance) Y V V J Rajasekhar was divested of his duties on the direction of Bharadwaj.

Hours after the Supreme Court order placed the control of bureaucrats working with the Delhi government, excluding those related to police, public order, and land, under the elected government, Services Secretary ashish More was removed.