Development Work will Be Increased Tenfold ‘Now’, Officers Who ‘Obstructed’ Work Will Face Consequences: CM Kejriwal After SC

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 12th May. With the Supreme Court ruling in his government’s favor on the administration of some services in Delhi on Thursday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal pledged that the speed of work will increase tenfold now that his hands are no longer tied.

He warned officers who “stopped” people’s work of the consequences and also announced a major bureaucratic reshuffle in the coming days.

In its first action hours after the supreme court’s order, the AAP government ousted services secretary Ashish More and appointed 1995-batch IAS officer A K Singh in his place.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party said it respects the verdict and claimed that a transfer-posting industry will come up in the city, the Congress termed it as “historic and colossal”, saying it exposed the “nexus of unholy, undemocratic, ugly nature and the under belly of the BJP”.

The AAP called the court judgment a “tight slap” on the mission to destabilize governments in “unconstitutional ways” and a “massive defeat” for the BJP-led Centre’s dictatorial measures.

In a unanimous verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that the Delhi government has legislative and executive powers over administration of services except for public order, police and land.

At a press conference, Kejriwal thanked the Supreme Court judges for bringing justice to Delhi and thanked the people of the city for their unwavering support for the AAP government.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is like a father figure and it is his responsibility to look after all like his children.

“There will be a big administrative reshuffle in a few days. Many officers will be transferred on the basis of what they have done till now. There are some officials who have stopped public works in the last year-and-a-half.

“There were instances where medicines of mohalla clinics, tests, DJB’s money were stopped. Such officers will have to bear the consequences of their misdeeds. Opportunity will be given to responsive and compassionate officers and employees who want to serve the public,” Kejriwal said.

He claimed the Supreme Court has sternly said that powers of the Delhi government snatched by the Centre in 2015 was unconstitutional.

He said his hands were tied earlier and he was thrown in the water to swim but despite the “hurdles” created before the AAP government in Delhi it did “spectacular” work.

“We gave a new model of education and health to the country. The work will happen at 10 times speed it was happening earlier. Delhi will now present a model of able governance to the entire country,” he said.

According to AAP officials, the court decision establishes that the Delhi government has the same authority as any other state government.

The party’s leaders, including Kejriwal, hailed the decision as a historic moment, stating that ministers will now be able to transfer employees who are “inefficient” or “obstructing public works.”

According to AAP chief spokesperson and Services Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, all types of officers were reporting to the Centre via the LG earlier.

“There was no way of controlling officers in terms of the welfare of the people. Now, all this power, which are generally called ‘services’ – executive and legislative powers – all lie with the elected government of Delhi and this has been reiterated by the Supreme Court that the LG is bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers in all the subjects other than police, public order and land.

“This has now been made amply clear by the court,” Bharadwaj said.

The Supreme Court judgment came after years of squabbles between the Arvind Kejriwal government and the Lieutenant Governor’s office, especially since V K Saxena took over as LG in May last year.

The AAP government has accused Saxena of interference in its day-to-day operations on multiple occasions. Kejriwal once claimed that the LG issued directives to the chief secretary on “practically every” subject, bypassing his government.

Their strained relationship led to frequent clashes over a number of issues, including excise policy, teacher training in Finland, free yoga classes, mohalla clinics, bureaucratic transfers, sanctioning of funds, control over the Anti-Corruption Branch, and the extension of power subsidies to consumers.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said bureaucrats not appearing before House committees will now have to “fall in line” and asserted that works stopped on the lieutenant governor’s directions will be resumed.

Following the court judgment, some former and current top officials stated that “dignity and coordination” between the elected government and the LG’s office will ensure that no more fighting over governance issues occurs.

To celebrate the verdict, AAP members danced to dhol rhythms, set off firecrackers, and distributed sweets at the party office and the Delhi secretariat here.