Delhi govt bars chief secretary from passing orders related to state employees

New Delhi [India], May 18 : The Delhi government on Thursday barred the Chief Secretary and Services' Secretary from passing orders in relation to all categories of state government employees.

An order in this regard was issued by Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj today in which Delhi Services' Minister approval was made mandatory for the same.

The Minister, in his order, directed that "no orders for any category of employees shall be passed by the Chief Secretary or Services Secretary or services department, without the minister's order".

Earlier today, the Arvind Kejriwal-led government sent the name of PK Gupta to the Center to appoint him as the new Chief Secretary of Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Kejriwal government has sent a proposal to the Center through Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena to appoint Gupta as the new Chief Secretary of Delhi.

Gupta, a 1989 batch IAS officer, is currently serving as additional chief secretary at the General Administration Department (GAD) of the Delhi government. Presently, Naresh Kumar is the Chief Secretary of Delhi.

The move comes days after the Delhi government was given executive power in services matters, including transfer and posting of officers, in a crucial verdict by the Supreme Court.

On May, 11, the Supreme Court said that the division of administrative powers between the Union and Delhi governments "must be respected" and held that the Delhi government has "legislative and executive power over services" in the national capital, including the bureaucrats, except those relating to public order, police and land.

A five-judge Constitution bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices MR Shah, Justice Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha said, "The division of administrative powers between the Union and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD) as explained... must be respected."

The apex court in its 105-page-judgement said that the government of Delhi is not similar to other Union Territories.

The verdict of the apex court came on the tussle between Delhi and the central government on the contentious issue of who should control administrative services in Delhi over the transfers and postings of officers in the national capital.

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