AAP hits out at PM Modi after Centre brings Ordinance on control of services in Delhi

The Aam Admi Party (AAP) has lashed out at PM Narendra Modi-led central government for bringing an ordinance that gives the Lieutenant-Governor the final say on the postings and transfers of all bureaucrats serving the Delhi government.

Arvind Kejriwal's AAP Party has termed the Ordinance an "act of dishonesty and treachery".

Delhi Education Minister Atishi said, "The ordinance brought about by the Centre is against the Supreme Court ruling giving the AAP government control over services in the National Capital. SC ruled that an elected government should have the power to take decisions. This is called democracy. The ordinance has been passed as the Centre is fearful of the authority vested to AAP by the Supreme Court ruling".

She said that the ordinance says that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would not govern the Delhi government. "But the Centre will run it. It is clear that the Central government is fearful of the Aam Admi Party Government. Centre became fearful of the Supreme Court ruling. Therefore they have passed such an ordinance".

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj also termed the ordinance an "act of dishonesty and treachery".

"The Centre has done treachery with the ruling of the Supreme Court, Indian Constitution. With the people of Delhi. The people of Delhi elected Arvind Kejriwal three times. Today the Centre is saying that such a leader has no powers".

"Lieutenant Governor who has not been elected but rather imposed on the people of Delhi is being conferred with powers of posting and transfer. The ordinance shows disrespect towards the Supreme Court ruling," the AAP leader said.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi also termed the ordinance an "act of a bad, poor and graceless loser".

Yesterday, the Centre promulgated an ordinance to create a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers from the DANICS cadre.

The ordinance comes a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in the national capital to the Delhi government, excluding those related to police, public order, and land.

The ordinance said that "there shall be an authority to be known as the National Capital Civil Service Authority to exercise the powers conferred on, and discharge the functions assigned to it".

The authority will comprise the chief minister of the government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi as its chairperson, along with the chief secretary and the principal home secretary, who will be the member secretary to the authority, it said.

"All matters required to be decided by the authority shall be decided by the majority of votes of the members present and voting. All recommendations of the authority shall be authenticated by the member secretary," the ordinance said.

The National Capital Civil Service Authority will meet at a time and place as the member secretary decides with the approval of the chairperson of the authority, as and when required, it said.

"The central government, in consultation with the authority, shall determine the nature and the categories of officers and other employees required to assist the authority in the discharge of its functions and provide the authority with such officers and employees, as it may deem fit....".