Preparing for a pushback on the Centre’s ordinance to create a National Capital Civil Service Authority that would give Delhi’s Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) the final say on transfers and postings of civil servants instead of the State government, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal is reaching out to the opposition leaders to stall the Bill from replacing the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha. As the numbers stand in the Upper House, if Congress joins the crusade, a united opposition can make it difficult for the government to get the Bill through.
An ordinance has to be ratified by Parliament within six months. On Sunday, Mr. Kejriwal met Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Nitish Kumar along with Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. On Tuesday, he is flying to Kolkata to meet West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee. The very next day, he is headed to Mumbai for a two-day trip to meet Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) patriarch Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The Centre on Friday promulgated the ordinance creating a National Capital Civil Service Authority by amending the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991. This authority will be headed by the Delhi Chief Minister and will have the State Chief Secretary and Principal Home Secretary as its members. While the authority can make recommendations regarding transfers and tenures of bureaucrats, the Lieutenant Governor will be final arbitrator.
