Delhi-Centre Tussle: Arvind Kejriwal Calls First Meet Of New Panel

The first meeting of the National Capital Civil Service Authority, constituted through an ordinance by the Centre, has been summoned by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on June 20, even as he called the panel a "farce".

The NCCSA, which was formed on May 19 by the Centre to bring back executive control over matters related to services to its domain, is likely to discuss disciplinary proceedings against an officer during the meeting. The Delhi Chief Minister is the chairman of the authority.

According to an official statement, Mr Kejriwal said even before its first meeting that Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar have "colluded" to turn the NCCSA into a "farce" authority.

No immediate reaction was available from the offices of the Lt Governor or the chief secretary.

"Several proposals related to services are being directly sent by the chief secretary to the LG, bypassing the CM and the NCCSA. Two weeks back, the CM and the NCCSA were bypassed by the CS who colluded with the LG to directly issue suspension orders for an officer in another matter," it was alleged in the statement.

The outcome of the authority meeting is already known with two members as officers appointed by the central government and the chief minister being in the minority, the statement said.

The setting up of the NCCSA came just over a week after the Supreme Court, in its verdict, handed over executive control over services matters to the elected dispensation in Delhi.

The file for action against the officer was placed before the Chief Minister who had highlighted several "gaps and missing information" in it and directed the chief secretary to urgently furnish the same before the date of the NCCSA meeting can be decided upon.

"However, in a completely shocking and brazen disregard of Section 45F(1) of the Centre's Ordinance and established constitutional practices, the chief secretary overruled the directions of the chief minister. The CM and the NCCSA both were bypassed and the file was placed directly before the LG recommending suspension of the officer," the statement said. 

The three-member authority headed by the Chief Minister also includes Delhi's chief secretary as its member and the principal secretary (Home) as its member secretary.

The fact that the Chief Minister's authority as the chairperson of NCCSA has been "completely subverted" by "collusion" of the LG and the Chief  even before the first meeting of the Authority, highlights the "malafide intent" of the Centre to "rob" the elected government of Delhi from exercising any kind of power to govern, the statement said.

It also raised questions over the composition of the NCCSA terming it to be of "dubious nature" for placing the chief minister in it with two bureaucrats and providing for a majority mandate.

The transfer and postings of Group A officers including AGMUT cadre IAS, which were earlier decided by the services department under the jurisdiction of the Lieutenant Governor, will now be dealt with by the NCCSA, according to the ordinance.

Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs moved 10 IAS officers of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre to Delhi whose postings are yet to be decided by the newly formed NCCSA.

It was, however, not clear whether the NCCSA will take up the matter of posting IAS officers in its first physical meeting, officials said.

The decision of the NCCSA approved by its three members is to be sent to the Delhi LG for his nod. The LG may return the file for transfer postings to the NCCSA for reconsideration if he is not in agreement with its recommendations, or he may take his own independent decision which will be final, as per the ordinance.

Kejriwal had termed the ordinance a "direct challenge to the majesty and power of Supreme Court", and said it would be contested in the top court when it resumed after the summer break. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)