Delhi govt cancels appointment of 9 Kejriwal’s aides on MHA advice

Acting on advice of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Delhi government on Tuesday cancelled the appointment of nine advisers, including the one to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisoida.

According to an order issued by General Administration Department of the Delhi government, the MHA had written in its letter that these posts on which the appointees are officiating are not in the list of posts approved for the ministers and the chief minister.

"No prior approval of the central government has been taken for creation of said posts on which these persons have been appointed on co-terminus basis," the order stated.

In addition, the MHA's 2015 notification that made services a reserved subject meant that the Central government had the right to create posts etc.

"Therefore, creation of posts by Delhi Cabinet for accommodating these appointees is void ab-initio, being done by an agency not competent under the law to do so.
Since creation of these posts and subsequent appointments on these posts are not valid, all previous orders regarding creation of these posts and appointments made against them are hereby cancelled," the order read.

Among the nine advisers whose appointment has been cancelled are Amardeep Tiwari (media adviser to law minister), Arunodya Prakash (media adviser to deputy chief minister), Raghav Chadha (adviser to finance minister), Atishi Marlena (media adviser to deputy chief minister).