NCCSA clears posting of 8 officials in Capital
The officials said that the departments assigned to these officers will be known only after the final notification by the office of the lieutenant governor.
The National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA), chaired by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Wednesday recommended posting of eight Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officers, a decision that is expected to fill a major gap in the administrative machinery since several departments of the Delhi government were running without a head or a senior official for long, people aware of the matter said.
It was only the third meeting of the authority which was constituted in June under the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023.
According to officials, the eight officers who were cleared for posting in the government include Lakshya Singhal (2019), Yash Chaudhary (2017), Pankaj Kumar (2012), Vinod P Kavle (2008), Ajay K Bisht (2011), Rishita Gupta (2019), and Anil Kumar Singh (2011)
The officials said that the departments assigned to these officers belonging to the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre will be known only after the final notification by the office of the lieutenant governor.
The authority also recommended disciplinary action against eight officials of the Delhi government in different cases, including Delhi Assembly secretary Raj Kumar in a case related to alleged irregularities in giving compensation for acquisition of land for the construction of Rani Jhansi flyover in north Delhi, the officials quoted above said.
They added that the matter pertaining to action against three officials related to the renovation of the chief minister’s official residence was also on the agenda list of the meeting. However, it was not discussed since it is currently sub-judice, people aware of the matter said.
Before Wednesday, the NCCSA meeting was adjourned on five previous occasions amid a tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi and the BJP-led Centre over who controls services in the national Capital.
After the Centre amended the GNCTD Act, transfer and posting of all state government officials in Delhi under placed under NCCSA’s domain in June. In the last two meetings held on June 20 and June 29, the authority had considered various disciplinary issues.
NCCSA also recommends disciplinary action against the Delhi government officials facing charges pertaining any irregularity.
“The recommendations of the authority are confidential and the details of the departments assigned to them cannot be shared unless the final notification is issued. The eight officers have been recommended for posting against vacant posts in different departments and agencies such as information technology department, women and child development, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, finance department, etc.,” said a senior official asking not to be named.
Officials said that the authority considered posting of a total of 12 IAS officers, but recommended eight because four officers are yet to be relieved by the state government or UT administration they are currently serving. The four officers include G Sudhakar (2012), Binay Bhushan (2009) and Kishore Kashirsagar Lakshman (2016).
When asked about the decisions taken at the meeting, the chief minister’s office did not offer a comment.
Leader of the opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, meanwhile, said the NCCSA meeting took place after five postponements. “The delay in the convening of the meeting resulted into unnecessary wait that the officers had to face before they could get a posting in Delhi government. Many departments were being run by link officers who were burdened with additional work even as some officers were waiting for posting.”
Led by the Delhi chief minister, the three member NCCSA has two senior bureaucrats — chief secretary (Naresh Kumar) as a member, and principal secretary home (Ashwini Kumar) as the member-secretary.
The NCCSA makes recommendations with majority decision. However, in case of a difference of opinion, the decision by the LG will be final.
