Delhi LG Approves Termination of Civil Defence Volunteers, Kejriwal Govt Suggested Discontinuation

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has approved a proposal to terminate the services of all civil defence volunteers from November 1, with the AAP government saying it had suggested they may be discontinued from regular work owing to legal objection by officials.

New Delhi: In a significant development, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Friday approved a proposal of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to terminate the services of all civil defence volunteers from November 1. The AAP government, however, said it had suggested that the volunteers may be discontinued from regular work owing to legal objection by officials. This is the latest flashpoint between the city government and the lieutenant governor LG.

LG Directs CM to Consider Recruiting Volunteers as Home Guards

The LG also directed the chief minister to consider recruiting the volunteers to be terminated as Home Guards. The development came hours after the chief minister asked Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot to appoint the civil defence volunteers as Home Guards and depute them as bus marshals.

AAP Govt Says Will Approach Supreme Court

Following the development, AAP government sources said they will approach the apex court. "If Delhi LG terminates the services of civil defence volunteers, we will approach the Supreme Court. Some of these volunteers are deployed as bus marshals, who play a crucial role in ensuring women's safety on buses. We will not compromise on women's safety," said a government source.

Legal Objections Raised by Officers

In a statement later, the city government said legal objections were raised by some officers who pointed out that as per law, civil defence volunteers cannot be appointed on regular jobs and that they can be called only for specific disaster-related work. "Despite several written directions by ministers, their salaries were stopped for several months. That's when the CM said that all pending salaries be paid and if they have to be stopped from doing regular work, it may be implemented from November 1," the statement added.

Kejriwal Writes to LG, Seeks Time to Replace Volunteers

However, this note of the chief minister did not cover bus marshals for which Kejriwal sent a separate note to the LG. The CM said that if civil defence volunteers had to be replaced with home guards as bus marshals, it will take time because the government does not have adequate number of spare home guards. "New recruitments will have to be made which will take a lot of time," the statement said.

Raj Niwas Officials駁斥AAP政府的说法

Noting that bus marshals are very critical for the safety of women in buses, Kejriwal wrote to the LG that till the time an adequate number of home guards were deployed, civil defence volunteers should continue working as bus marshals. "We should not let buses run without bus marshals in the intervening period. Today, CM gave directions that when new recruitments for home guards are done, the existing set of civil defence volunteers may be engaged as home guards so that they continue doing the job of bus marshals. They are experienced in that job and have been doing it well. This way, they won't lose jobs also, the government said.

LG Office Accuses AAP Govt of Spreading Lies

However, Raj Niwas officials said the fact remains that it was the CM who proposed the termination of services of CDVs with effect from November 1, 2023 and that it was the LG who issued the direction to consider recruiting the volunteers as home guards. "It was the LG who flagged the loss of livelihood, they added. Sources at the LG office accused the AAP government sources of spreading lies and sharing misleading information.

Proposal to Terminate Volunteers Received on October 20

The proposal to terminate civil defence volunteers was sent to the LG office by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, which was only approved by the Lt Governor. Will Delhi government go to the Supreme Court against the chief minister, a source asked. The LG office sources said the proposal to terminate the services of civil defence volunteers was received on October 20. However, the government source claimed no such proposal was sent to the LG office by the Chief Ministers Office.

Kejriwal Earlier Asked Home Minister to Appoint Volunteers as Home Guards

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal asked the Delhi home minister to appoint civil defence volunteers as Home Guards and depute them as marshals in public transport buses, officials said. In a note, the Chief Ministers Office CMO said that a legal objection has been raised about the continuation of civil defence volunteers as bus marshals. It has been said that civil defence volunteers cannot be engaged in regular duties and that they can be called only during any disaster. Therefore, it has been suggested that home guards be appointed as bus marshals instead of civil defence volunteers, said the note.

The termination of civil defence volunteers in Delhi has sparked a fresh war of words between the AAP government and the LG. While the AAP government has said that it will approach the Supreme Court if the volunteers are terminated, the LG office has maintained that it was the CM who proposed the termination of services. It remains to be seen how the matter unfolds in the coming days.