New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to suggest names of five senior bureaucrats to be considered for the post of new Delhi chief secretary by 10.30 am on November 28 and said the Delhi government will have to respond the same day to facilitate adjudication on the vexed issue.
The appointment of the chief secretary is the latest bone of contention between Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena who have been involved in a series of run-ins over various issues.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra which was hearing the AAP government’s plea asked why the LG and the chief minister cannot meet to amicably decide on names.
Earlier on July 17, the top court had taken note of the differences over the appointment of the new DERC chairperson and asked Kejriwal and the LG to discuss names of former judges who could head the national capital’s power regulator, saying the two constitutional functionaries have to rise above “political bickering”.
However, the deadlock remained despite the two functionaries meeting and finally the top court appointed the DERC chairperson.
In the brief hearing on Friday, the bench said the names of five senior bureaucrats, to be suggested by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, for the post of chief secretary will be submitted at 10.30 AM on Tuesday to it.