NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the Centre over the extension of the tenure of Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, while granting it time to demonstrate the power and grounds in the incumbent official’s matter.
A bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra asked why it is stuck with only one IAS officer when it can appoint anyone as chief secretary of Delhi.“Are you just stuck with one person? They are saying appoint whoever you want but not him. Are you so stuck,” the bench asked.
After Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre pointed out that there are “administrative reasons”, the SC granted time till Wednesday to demonstrate the Centre’s power to extend the tenure of the chief secretary.“Show us the power to extend and grounds to extend tomorrow… We are not holding you down to any directions. You appoint any IAS officer from cadre…,” the SC said.
The bench was hearing a plea of the city government against any move by the Centre to appoint, without any consultation with it, the new chief secretary or extend the tenure of the current top civil servant Naresh Kumar, who is set to demit office on November 30.
The Delhi government had questioned how the Centre could proceed with the appointment of the chief secretary without any consultation with it while the new law is under challenge.