राजनीति

Delhi CM Kejriwal promises ‘massive administrative overhaul’, hours after SC verdict

on the issue of control over administrative services, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised a “massive administrative overhaul”.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said that the government, henceforth, would be “lean, thin, accountable and responsive”.

In a sign of things to come, the government effected the first transfer within an hour-and-a-half. IAS officer Ashish More, who was the Secretary of the Services Department, was replaced by 1995-batch IAS officer Anil Kumar Singh.

In the evening, Kejriwal also met Lieutenant-Governor V K Saxena, who has been responsible for services since taking over nearly a year ago.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal targeted Prime Minister and said the government had been fighting for its right to exercise control over the services department for eight years.

“Eight years ago, on May 20, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi got an order passed by the Centre that matters related to services will be governed by the L-G through the Centre. This meant that officers working in the Delhi government, from top to bottom, their postings, transfers and ordering disciplinary action against them, would no longer come under the elected government. This meant that if I see any officer taking bribes, I cannot take any action against him, I can’t transfer him. I can’t appoint the education or health secretary, despite being the Chief Minister,” Kejriwal said.

He added that because of this notification passed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, both his “hands were tied behind his back and he was thrown into a river and asked to swim”.

While the relationship between the AAP government and the bureaucracy has been cordial at best since the party came to power in 2015, the past year has seen a complete breakdown, with ministers alleging that officials have skipped scheduled meetings, defied direct orders and stalled important files.

Kejriwal said that over the next few days and weeks, officers would be transferred on the basis of their performance so far. “There are some officers who, for the past few months, stalled the work of the people of Delhi. These officers will be identified and they will have to pay for their actions. But there are many others who are honest and were feeling suffocated because they wanted to work — all these officers will get the opportunity to work and perform. The dead wood, the corrupt, the inefficient will be removed from important posts and will be replaced by good, honest, responsive and compassionate officers. The entire administrative system will be rectified — the entire system is rotten. A system will be created which is accountable to the people and responsive to their needs. A lean, thin, accountable and responsive government will be set up,” he said.

“I see that there are many posts which are unnecessary. Any official occupying these posts only ends up stalling the work of citizens. It is better if they are not there. Such posts will be identified and either left vacant or abolished. Where more posts are required, they will be created,” said Kejriwal.

Meanwhile, responding to Kejriwal’s allegations on the L-G not clearing proposals for transfers and postings of officials, L-G House officials said they had received “no such request” from either the chief minister or his ministers. “Any assertion made in this regard is totally false and fabricated. As a matter of fact, L-G responded proactively to the AAP government’s various demands for appointments, made in public domain, including that of the principal secretary in PWD,” they said.