NEW DELHI: The civil services authority set up by the Centre through an ordinance to control the transfer of officers working under the Delhi government has been reduced to a “complete farce”, allowing bureaucrats to overturn decisions taken by an elected chief minister and dictating their own will, the CM’s office said on Sunday.
The statement came two days after the second meeting of the National Capital Civil Services Authority during which two member bureaucrats “did not oppose” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s stand but later on cancelled his decisions.
The three-member NCCSA was set up by the Centre through the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, promulgated on May 19 to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi. The NCCSA comprises the CM as chairperson, with the chief secretary and principal secretary (home) as members. It was bestowed with powers to take decisions by a simple majority.
“This simple majority has enabled the bureaucrats to override the CM’s decisions, effectively granting them unchecked power over the authority’s operations. Consequently, the CM’s voice, representing the will of the elected government and people of Delhi, finds itself in the minority within the NCCSA,” the CMO said.
However, L-G Secretariat rejected the claims and said the statement is not giving a “true picture”.
“A narrative is being projected that officers are not listening and need absolute control. NCCSA shall release the draft minutes to the press to verify the truth in the public domain,” it said.