Controversy-Hit IAS Officer Sanjeev Khirwar Returns To Delhi As New MCD Commissioner

IAS officer Sanjeev Khirwar has been appointed as the new commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, marking his return to the national capital after being transferred out in the wake of a major controversy in 2022. Khirwar, a 1994-batch officer of the AGMUT cadre, had earlier come under intense scrutiny following claims that athletes were asked to vacate Delhi’s Thyagaraj Stadium ahead of schedule so he could walk his pet.

At the time, Khirwar was serving as Delhi’s Principal Secretary (Revenue). Reports had alleged that training sessions at the stadium were being cut short, disrupting the routines of young sportspersons. Coaches were quoted as saying that athletes, who earlier practiced until late evening under floodlights, were instructed to leave by 7 pm. Khirwar denied the accusations, stating that while he occasionally walked his dog at the facility, it did not interfere with sporting activities.

The episode triggered public outrage and prompted then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to order that all government-run sports facilities in Delhi remain open until 10 pm for athletes. Soon after, the Union Home Ministry transferred Khirwar to Ladakh.

He has now been brought back to Delhi to take charge of the MCD at a crucial time, as the civic body prepares to present its budget and tackle multiple administrative and financial challenges. Ashwani Kumar, who previously held the post, has been moved to Jammu and Kashmir. Khirwar’s wife, Rinku Dugga, is also an IAS officer.