 "Bureaucrats caught in Centre, Delhi govt crossfire")
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged it was a conspiracy on the eve of the launch of the “odd-even” number scheme. Caught in the crossfire, DANICS and other IAS officers serving under the Delhi government went on a day’s leave to register their protest against the suspension and the “distressful” situation they find themselves in. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal threatened to take action against the officers who were on leave.
He said, “The government will not tolerate corruption and insubordination.” Kejriwal further suggested that bureaucrats be dispensed with and professionals and sectoral experts inducted for better governance.
The DANICS officers association had met and expressed “anguish and distress” at how civil servants in the city government were being penalised for following rules. They urged that the “victimisation and intimidation of officers should be stopped forthwith”. The two officers, Yashpal Garg and Subhash Chandra, had refused to sign a file ratifying the Cabinet decision to increase the salary of public prosecutors, as Lt Governor Najeeb Jung’s office had directed no orders be issued since the matter had been referred to the President of India. The two officers were suspended by Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain.
For the record, the President of India is the appointing and thereby disciplinary authority as well for DANICS officers and the Union home ministry is the cadre controlling authority.
Former Delhi Chief Secretary Shailaja Chandra told Business Standard: “If the appointing authority is the President of India for DANICS officers, then he is the disciplinary authority as well. It is extremely unfortunate. DANICS officers are the backbone of the administration here, they are exceptionally reliable and for them to have resorted to going on protest leave, the circumstances must have been extremely grave.”
Responding to Kejriwal’s claim that professionals could carry out administration better than bureaucrats, Chandra said, “Civil servants are trained in rules, procedures, systems, conventions of the government. They have institutional memory to take crucial decisions. Unlike contractual employees, they are accountable to the public and can be held responsible by the courts.”
What former bureaucrats have also been underlining is the fact that the Delhi government has no cadre of its own and therefore cannot take action against civil servants, like state governments may. Former power secretary Shakti Sinha said, “The Delhi government is not a full-fledged state government and therefore it cannot suspend or take action against DANICS and IAS officers. Only the Union home ministry is competent to do so. At the most, the Delhi government can recommend action.”
The DANICS association stated that they would decide their next course of action, depending on how the government reacts once they get back to work.