Govt nod must for all services-related matters in Delhi, says minister

Delhi services minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Thursday issued an order directing, the chief secretary and secretary of the services department to not issue any transfer and other services-related orders for employees of all categories without his approval.

“In supersession 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 (services minister),” Bhardwaj said in the order.

HT has seen a copy of the order.

Chief secretary Naresh Kumar concurred, and also issued an order within hours of getting the minister’s note. “...all officers/officials of the Services Department are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance with the said directions of the minister (Services),” Kumar said in his order.

“It is further directed that all officers/officials shall follow the statutory provisions (laws rules/regulations, as applicable) and shall mention the channel of submission as well as the Competent Authority to approve such proposals in terms of applicable statutory provisions while processing any matter of the Services Department,” the chief secretary added in the order.

A recent Supreme Court judgment placed the control of the bureaucrats working with the Delhi government (excluding those related to police, public order, and land) under the elected government.

In compliance with the top court’s order, lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena has returned files related to services to the Delhi government for necessary action.

Before the Supreme Court judgment, transfer and other services-related orders were issued by the LG.

An official said that matters related to promotion, disciplinary proceedings, transfers of various categories of officers are dealt with according to administrative arrangements developed by competent authorities.

“In Delhi, the transfer of employees and officers working in the Delhi government has been done at different levels depending on the category of the official. For clerical staff, it was issued by the secretary, services; for entry-level officials (SDM, assistant directors, etc.) by the chief secretary; and for IAS and DANICS officers by the competent authority, which, before the Supeme Court judgment, was the lieutenant governor. With the minister’s directions, no order can now be issued without his approval and will have to go through him,” said a senior IAS officer, requesting anonymity.

The Delhi administration is largely operated by bureaucrats who work at two levels. The upper rung comprises IAS officers from the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, posted with the Delhi government.

The second rung comprises officers from the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Civil) Services (DANICS).

Currently, around 80 IAS officers and 150 DANICS officers are posted with various departments and agencies of the Delhi government.