NEW DELHI: After the Vigilance Department issued a show-cause notice to four senior officers for engaging fellows/associate fellows, the Delhi Assembly has discontinued all such engagements with immediate effect. The Assembly has asked them to clear all dues, if any, without delay.
The order issued on Thursday by the Legislative Assembly Secretariat after approval of the Speaker said, “The engagement of fellows and associate fellows under the Delhi Assembly Research Centre Fellowship Programme… is hereby discontinued with immediate effect till the issues of payment of stipend and marking of attendance are resolved. All fellows, associate fellows and associate fellows (media) are directed to clear all dues, if any, and submit no dues certificate (NOC) immediately.”
A few days ago, the Vigilance Department issued a notice to DANICS rank officials directing them to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for violation of not only rules and legal provisions but also for actively facilitating illegal engagements. The department said if the reply was not received within seven days, it would be presumed that they had nothing to submit. Appropriate action will then follow as per rules, it said.
Action against fellows/associates was likely as the Supreme Court had earlier dismissed the plea of the Delhi government seeking a stay on the Services Department’s order to disengage them. The SC had not struck down the earlier order on the removal of these consultants issued by the Services Department.
The controversy erupted after the Services Department issued an order that 437 private persons appointed as advisers, fellows and consultants whom the Kejriwal government hired via “back door entry” were “void ab initio” (void from the beginning) and asked the departments to stop their services.
The L-G secretariat has alleged that the AAP-led government employed these individuals, most of whom were found to be party workers, to run a “parallel civil service”.
Clear dues immediately, fellows told
The order issued by the Assembly Secretariat said all fellows and associate fellows are directed to clear all dues immediately. The row erupted when the L-G office alleged the AAP government chose “favoured individuals with dubious qualifications” as fellows.