LG transfers three bureaucrats : AAP govt cries foul

New Delhi: In what could trigger a fresh bout of tussle between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor's office, LG Anil Baijal has transferred three IAS officers.

The action by the LG comes days after the Supreme Court clipped the LG's powers, restricting his jurisdiction to land, police and public order. The services, department, however, continues to be the bone of contention between the two.

According to a new order, Soumya Gupta has been replaced by Sanjay Goyal as Education Department Director. Similarly, Chanchal Yadav, who served as South DMC's Deputy Commissioner has been shifted as Special Secretary to LG. Vasanthakumar N, has been made Special Commissioner (Trade and Taxes).

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia slammed the move as "bossing around" by the LG. "LG has kept the services department with him arbitrarily and is bossing around. He should have consulted us before appointing the education director.

Delhi government is spending 26 per cent of its budget on education and we are not even consulted on the issue," Sisodia told reporters.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday wrote to Baijal wondering how he can be "selective" in accepting the Supreme Court judgement on power tussle between the Delhi government and the Centre.

The Delhi government is likely to move the Supreme Court to dispose of its appeals, including the one on the matter of services, which is a bone of contention between the AAP dispensation and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, at the earliest.