Delhi Govt Removes Senior Service Dept Official Hours After SC Verdict

Secretary of the Delhi government's Services Department Ashish More was removed from his post on Thursday, hours after the Supreme Court gave the AAP government in Delhi control over the transfer and posting of officers in the state.

Former Delhi Jal Board CEO A K Singh, a 1995-batch (AGMUT cadre) IAS officer, will replace More, as reported by news agency PTI.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court pronounced that the Delhi government has legislative and executive powers over administration of services except for matters relating to public order, police and land.

Asserting that an elected government needs to have control over the administration, a five-judge constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, said the Union territory of Delhi has "sui generis (unique) character" and refused to agree with the 2019 judgement of Justice Ashok Bhushan that the Delhi government has no power over the issue of services.

"Further expansion of the Union's power will be contrary to the Constitutional scheme...Delhi is similar to other states and has a representative form of government," the top court said in its verdict over the contentious issue of administrative control over services between the Centre and the Delhi government.

The Constitution bench was set up to hear the legal issue concerning the scope of legislative and executive powers of the Centre and the National Capital Territory government over control of services in Delhi after the Union home ministry issued a notification in 2015, stating that it has control over services in Delhi. The notification was challenged by the Arvind Kejriwal government in the Delhi high court.

Speaking at a press conference shortly after the judgment, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said there will be a major administrative reshuffle in the government, warning of action against officers who obstructed public works.

"The elected government will have the power of transfer-posting of officers. Officers will work only through the elected government,'' he tweeted.

Prior to the verdict of the court, the Services department was under the control of Delhi's Lieutenant Governor.