Bypassing LG, Kejriwal appoints new principal secretary

Senior bureaucrat Arvind Ray is the new appointee to the post

In yet another act of strong defiance, AAP Government today appointed senior bureaucrat Arvind Ray as Principal Secretary of general administration department bypassing Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

Significantly, the order to appoint Ray was issued by Rajendra Kumar in his capacity as Principal Secretary (Services) though his appointment to the post by AAP government was declared "void" by Jung yesterday.

The charge of general administration department as well as services department was given to Kumar after Aninda Majumdar was divested of both the responsibilities by the AAP government.

Majumdar was removed on Saturday after he issued an order notifying the appointment of Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary on Friday. The LG, on the same evening, had declared the order to transfer Majumdar "void".

Yesterday, Majumdar had found his office in Delhi Secretariat locked. Later the AAP government had appointed Kumar as Principal Secretary of services and general administration departments.

In its order today, the AAP government said Ray has been appointed as Principal Secretary in place of Rajendra Kumar.

Earlier this year, AAP government had removed Ray as Principal Secretary of the home department and had not assigned him any work since then.