New Delhi: In the ongoing dispute between the Union government and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government regarding control over services in the national capital, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has now alleged “indifference” on the part of civil servants in their interactions with leaders of the AAP government.
In an affidavit to the Supreme Court, the deputy chief minister has alleged that civil servants frequently skip meetings without any prior notice or efforts to reschedule, refuse to take phone calls from ministers, disobey orders of ministers and more.
Importantly, Sisodia wrote that these problems have become “more acute” since V.K Saxena was appointed as the lieutenant governor of the national capital in May this year.
Sisodia’s affidavit was filed on the Delhi government’s petition on notifications issued by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government regarding control over civil servants in New Delhi.
“Given this regime introduced by the impugned notification, it is not surprising that the civil servants serving in the Government of NCT of Delhi have become indifferent to the elected government. The net result is that the basic day to day functioning of the Government of NCT of Delhi stands completely jeopardised,” LiveLaw quoted Sisodia’s affidavit as saying.
The deputy chief minister further alleged that the indifference among the bureaucrats towards the elected government is being fostered by the Union government deliberately.
“Any co-operation between the civil servants and the elected government is sought to be penalised and recalcitrance towards the elected government is being encouraged,” his affidavit read.
Apart from the attitude of the bureaucrats, Sisodia’s affidavit outlined numerous problems in their interactions with ministers in the Delhi government.
Also read: Delhi LG Saxena to Sue AAP Leaders for ‘False’ Corruption Charges
Calling the senior bureaucrats’ failure to attend meetings, sending junior officials in their stead, a “shocking breach of protocol”, Sisodia noted that due to their absence, Ministers are prevented from discussing projects or reviewing delayed action and as such, issues such as inefficiency, corruption and others cannot be addressed.
The affidavit also listed out several examples of civil servants refusing to take calls from ministers or even respond to verbal requests for official discussions.
“For instance, the Principal Secretary (Finance) has refused to take the calls of the Deputy Chief Minister/Finance Minister (Sisodia), or come to this office, to discuss important matters pertaining to the Finance Department. The above illustrative instances clearly highlight that it has become a common practice for civil servants to treat the elected government with an alarming degree of laxity and contempt,” Sisodia’s affidavit read.
“It must be borne in mind that the Ministers are elected representatives of the people, and it is through the Ministers that civil servants can be held accountable to the people,” it added.
Additionally, Sisodia took exception to the frequent transfers of department heads, which he said left “large gaps in the policy implementation of the government”; as well as the many vacancies within the government due to the failure of “those responsible” to make the appointments.
The dispute between the Delhi government and the Union government was first sought to be settled in 2018 when a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court had unanimously held that the L-G of the national capital is bound by the aid and advice of the elected Delhi government.
However, this order did not specifically deal with ‘services’ and the dispute over the same continued. Thereafter, in 2019, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court heard the matter but delivered a split verdict, from which the Delhi government’s present petition emerged.
The matter was then heard by a three-judge bench led by erstwhile Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana which, in May this year, referred the matter to a five-judge constitution bench.