Our Correspondent
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought an appointment with the President Pranab Mukhrjee to apprise him of Delhi’s situation. The confrontation between Delhi Lt. Governor and the AAP government on Saturday intensified with Mr Kejriwal asking senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin not to take charge as acting Chief Secretary of Delhi.
However, Shakuntala Gamlin defied the Chief Minister’s request and took charge as Delhi Chief Secretary Satureday afternoon.
A senior Delhi government official said that in his letter to Gamlin, Kejriwal has said that her appointment is against the set rule.
Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on Friday gave the additional charge of Chief Secretary to Gamlin, hours after she wrote a letter to Jung claiming that she was pressurised by a senior bureaucrat in the Chief Minister’s office not to be in race for the post due to her alleged proximity to BSES discoms.
Slamming the LG’s move, the AAP government had yesterday said the LG cannot bypass the elected government and that he acted against the Constitution, GNCT of Delhi Act and the Transaction of Business Rules.
Jung had promptly rebutted the AAP government’s allegations saying under Article 239 AA of the Constitution, the Lt Governor is the representative of State Authority in Delhi.
Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has said that Lieutenant Governor has no right to directly communicate with any official of Delhi Government. Mr Sisodia said, the Lieutenant Governor can only communicate with officials through Ministers.
He said, by trying to control the Delhi government, Lieutenant Governor has bypassed all rules and acted against the constitution.
He also alleged that BJP is trying to topple an elected government through the Lieutenant Governor.