The Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor V.K.Saxena locked horns on Friday over the Supreme Court verdict on services matters, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleging a “conspiracy” to overturn the ruling and the LG accusing the AAP dispensation of disregarding rules and procedure. Amid the escalating row over the transfer of Services Secretary Ashish More, Kejriwal and his ministers met the Lieutenant Governor separately Friday evening.
After his meeting with Saxena, the chief minister said the transfer of the services secretary is necessary to carry out further administrative changes
“There is widespread talk of the Centre bringing an ordinance to overturn the SC verdict. I hope that these are complete rumours and there is no truth in them. It will be a great betrayal against the people of Delhi and the country if this happens. Everyone should respect the verdict of the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court,” he told reporters.
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal in a tweet questioned why the LG was “not obeying” the SC order.
“Why is LG sir not obeying the SC order? Why hasn’t the file pertaining to the Services Secretary been signed for two days? It is being said that the Centre is going to reverse the SC order by bringing an ordinance next week?
“Is the Centre conspiring to overturn the SC order? Is LG sir waiting for the ordinance and that’s why he is not signing the file?” Kejriwal asked in a tweet in Hindi.
Before his meeting, Kejriwal’s five ministers also met Saxena to request him to follow the apex court order that gives the AAP government control over the bureaucracy.
After the meeting, Education minister Atishi said that the LG has assured them of signing the file on the transfer of the services secretary, saying that he will respect the SC verdict.