The AAP-led Delhi government has once again locked horns with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) over the appointment of the chairman of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). The NDMC area comes under New Delhi Assembly Constituency, which is represented by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
He now wants to appoint the bureaucrat of his choice in a bid to have a say in the administrative control of the area. Conventionally, the Delhi Chief Minister plays vital role in appointment of the chairman of the NDMC.
Almost two weeks ago, the Union Ministry had already transferred the NDMC chairman Jalaj Srivastava to the Union Agriculture Ministry. Srivastava’s transfer was due after he was appointed the as additional secretary.
He was appointed as the NDMC chairman in August 2013 by the erstwhile Sheila Dikshit government.
According to MHA sources, last week, the Kejriwal government recommended the name of 1987 batch IAS officer Naresh Kumar, currently working as joint secretary in the Ministry of Mines.
The MHA asked the Delhi government to send a fresh panel of at least three probable names. Chetan B Sanghi (1988-batch officer), who is Chief Secretary of Puducherry, was transferred to
Delhi as joint secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, but he refused to join.
This is the second time that the Union government has turned down the AAP government’s choice for a job. After taking oath as Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal had wanted 1984 -batch IAS officer Ramesh Negi to be the City’s top official, but the MHA said the officer was not senior enough.
Kejriwal wrote to Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressing his displeasure. Later on, both agreed upon KK Sharma, who took charge as Delhi Chief Secretary on March 10.
The AAP government and the Centre had also locked horns over the appointment of the vice-chairman of NDMC.