A fresh round of confrontation between the AAP and the Delhi LG
Lt Governor V K Saxena has terminated the services of around 400 ‘specialists’ appointed by the AAP government in different departments, officials said on Monday, a decision that could trigger a fresh round of confrontation between the ruling party and the LG. They were engaged in a “non-transparent manner” and without the mandatory approvals of the competent authority, the LG office said in a statement while alleging several irregularities in the recruitment process.
The appointments also did not follow the mandatory reservation policy for SC, ST, and OBC candidates prescribed by the Department of Personnel and Training, said the statement issued by LG’s office. “Delhi LG, V K Saxena has agreed to the proposal of the Services department to immediately terminate the services of about 400 private persons engaged as Fellows/ Associate Fellows/ Advisors / Dy Advisors/ Specialists/ Senior Research Officers/ Consultants, etc by Delhi government in its various departments and agencies,” the LG office statement said.
The Services department found that several of such engaged private persons did not even fulfill the educational and work eligibility criteria as laid down in the advertisements issued for the recruitment on the posts, it said. The administrative departments concerned also “did not verify” the veracity of work experience certificates submitted by these private persons, which were found to be “fudged and manipulated” in many cases, charged the statement.
The LG accepted the proposal of the Services department that all Delhi government departments, Corporations, Boards, Societies, and other autonomous bodies will immediately terminate the engagement of these private persons which was done without seeking approval of the Lt Governor who is the competent authority in the matter, it said. However, if any administrative department finds it appropriate to continue such engagements, it may propose detailed cases with proper justification and forward them to the Services Department for submission to the LG for consideration and approval, it said.
It was found by the Services department that some departments like Environment, Archaeology, Delhi Archives, Women and Child Development, and Industries did not obtain approval of the competent authority before engaging private persons, it said. The Services department had compiled the information received from 23 departments and agencies of the Delhi government that engaged private persons as “specialists”.
During the scrutiny by the Services department, it was found that 69 persons were engaged in five departments of Archaeology, Environment, Delhi Archives, Women and Child Development, and Industries without the approval of the competent authority. Also, 13 Boards, autonomous bodies which engaged 155 persons, also did not take the necessary approval and no information was provided to the Services department about the engagements of 187 persons in Delhi Assembly Research Centre (DARC), Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDCD) and Department of Planning, about the issue of approval of the competent authority, said the statement issued by LG’s office.
Eleven persons were engaged in 4 departments – Health and Family Welfare, Food Safety, Indira Gandhi Hospital, and Transport- with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor. Saxena has also noted that the Cabinet note pertaining to the Chief Minister Urban Leader Fellowship Programme, whereby 36 fellows and 14 associate fellows were engaged, was approved in 2018 and in 2021 by the competent authority.
The Lieutenant Governor directed that all concerned should comply with the Services department’s instructions failing which action including departmental proceedings may be initiated against the administrative secretary concerned, added the statement.
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