New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has vowed that the pace of work will go up 10-fold now that his hands are no longer tied after the Supreme Court verdict in favor of his government on the administration of certain services in Delhi. warned officials “clogging” the work of people’s results and announced a major bureaucratic reshuffle in the coming days. Within hours of its first action after the apex court order, the AAP government removed Services Secretary Ashish More and replaced him with 1995-batch IAS officer AK Singh. While the BJP said it respected the decision and claimed that a transfer-posting industry would come up in the city, the Congress termed it “historic and huge”, saying it was “profane, undemocratic, ugly in nature and low exposes the nexus of Stomach of BJP
The AAP called the court’s order a “severe slap” on the mission to topple governments through “unconstitutional means” and a “huge defeat” for the dictatorial actions of the BJP-led Centre. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the Delhi government has legislative and executive powers over public order, police and administration of services except land.
In a press conference, Kejriwal thanked the judges of the apex court for doing justice to Delhi and expressed his gratitude to the people of the city for supporting the AAP government at every step. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is like a father and it is his responsibility to take care of everyone like his own children.
He said, “There will be a major administrative reshuffle in a few days. Many officers will be transferred on the basis of work done so far. There are some officers who have stopped public work in the last one-and-a-half years.”
Kejriwal said, “There were instances where medicines, tests, DJB money from mohalla clinics were stopped. Such officers will have to face the consequences of their misdeeds. Responsive and compassionate officers and employees will be given opportunities, who serve the public.” want to do.” ,
He claimed that the Supreme Court has categorically said that the Delhi government’s powers taken away by the Center in 2015 were unconstitutional.
He said that initially his hands were tied and he was thrown into the water to swim, but the AAP government in Delhi did a “wonderful” job despite the “obstacles” put in front of it. “We have given the country a new model of education and health. The work will be done 10 times faster than before. Delhi will now present a model of efficient governance to the entire country,” he said.
AAP leaders said the court’s decision makes it clear that the Delhi government has the same powers as any other state government. Terming it a historic decision, party leaders including Kejriwal clarified that ministers will now be able to transfer officers who are “incompetent” or “obstructing public work”.
Explaining the meaning of the decision, AAP’s chief spokesperson and Services Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that earlier all officers used to report to the Center through the LG. “There was no way to control the officials in the matter of welfare of the people. Now, all this power, commonly called ‘Services’, ‘Executive and Legislative Powers’, all rests with the elected government of Delhi and This has been reiterated by the Delhi government.The Supreme Court said that the LG is bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers in all matters other than police, public order and land.
“The court has now made it completely clear,” Bhardwaj said.
The apex court order comes after years of intense battle between the Arvind Kejriwal government and the office of the Lieutenant Governor, especially after VK Saxena took over as LG in May last year.
The AAP government has repeatedly accused Saxena of interfering in its day-to-day affairs. Kejriwal once even alleged that the Lieutenant Governor bypassed his government and issued orders to the Chief Secretary on “practically every” subject.
Their strained relations have led to frequent clashes between them on a number of issues, including excise policy, teachers’ training in Finland, free yoga classes, neighborhood clinics, transfers of bureaucrats, clearance of funds, control of the anti-corruption branch and distribution of electricity subsidies to consumers. Expansion
Speaking to PTI, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said bureaucrats will now have to “fall in line” for not appearing before House committees and asserted that stalled work will resume on the directions of the Lieutenant Governor. will be started.
Following the court order, several former and serving top bureaucrats said that “dignity and coordination” between the elected government and the LG’s office would ensure that there are no more battles over governance issues.
AAP supporters danced to the beat of drums, burst crackers and distributed sweets at the party office here and the Delhi Secretariat to celebrate the verdict.