Centre transfers 25 Delhi govt officials

Despite Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's demand that Delhi top officials should not be transferred on Tuesday, the Home Ministry on Wednesday transferred 25 Delhi government officials from the the city administration.

The transfer orders of the DANICS (Delhi, Andaman Nicobar Island Civil Services) officers came a day after Dikshit met Home Minister P Chidambram and demanded that the city government be consulted before effecting transfer of senior officials of her administration.

Dismissing suggestions that it has 'unilaterally' reshuffled Delhi and Goa administrations, the Home Ministry said all transfers and postings of senior officers were done as per rules.

Sources said Home Ministry has indicated to the Delhi government that it has started the process of transferring a number of top officials from the Delhi government, including Chief Minister's Principal Secretary M M Kutty, Industries secretary Chetan Sanghi, Delhi Jal Board CEO Debashree Mukherjee, Commissioner of South Delhi Municipal Corporation Manish Gupta, Food and Civil Supplies secretary Dharampal and Labour secretary Ramesh Tiwari. Earlier, Dikshit had conveyed to Chidambaram that these top officials were implementing a number of key projects and schemes and their 'sudden transfer' would affect governance seriously.

She had also asked the Home Minister not to transfer officials of her administration in a 'haphazard manner' and said that the city government should be consulted before any such move.

Most of the officers have been transferred to Andaman and Nicober Islands while some of them have been transferred to Lakshadweep and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Five officials currently serving in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been posted to Delhi.