NEW DELHI: IN A blow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the city, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Monday approved the termination of 400 private persons who were serving as advisors, consultants and fellows under different departments of the Delhi government and autonomous bodies associated with it.
Officials from the L-G house said the recruitments were made in a non-transparent manner, flouting the constitutional provisions of reservation and through “back door entry” without meeting the eligibility criteria for such posts.
The move is taken after a proposal from the Services Department which is based on the information received from 23 departments/autonomous bodies/PSUs that have engaged private persons as specialists. Reacting to the development, the city government said that due process was followed during the recruitment of the private persons concerned. It also said that termination is illegal and would be challenged in court.
“L-G does not have the power to do so. He is acting illegally and against the Constitution. His only purpose is to find new ways every day to paralyse Delhi govt so that the people of Delhi suffer. These fellows were from top colleges and universities such as IIM Ahmedabad, Delhi School of Economics, NALSAR, JNU, NIT, London School of Economics, Cambridge etc. and were doing excellent work in various departments. They were all hired following due process and administrative norms.
This unconstitutional decision will be challenged before the court of law,” an official statement said The decision is expected to result in a new confrontation between the Delhi government and the L-G as the AAP government keeps raising the jurisdiction of the latter over the Services Department after the Supreme Court’s order which was circumvented by the Centre through an ordinance.
According to top officials, the Services Department found several engaged private persons, including “fellows/associate fellows/advisors / dy advisors/specialists/senior research officers/consultants etc” by the Delhi.
‘Irregular’ appointments The Services Department has found that 69 persons were engaged in the five departments of Archaeology, Environment, Delhi Archives, Women and Child Development and Industries without approval 13 autonomous bodies which engaged 155 persons did not take the necessary approval No information was provided to the Services Department about the engagements of 187 persons in different departments
