The Aam Aadmi Party has been at odds with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday accused Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal of running a "circus" of transfer-postings as a "ringmaster" and shuffling officials like playing cards.
Manish Sisodia made the comments while tabling an outcome report on the office of the lieutenant governor in the Assembly. The Aam Aadmi Party leader also hit out at the Modi government, saying it was also an outcome report of the central government that claims control over the Services Department through the lieutenant governor.
The deputy chief minister said the "circus" had been going on since August 4, 2016, when the LG office stated it is the sole in-charge of services.
"The way he has shuffled senior officers of the level of secretaries like playing cards in a pack, and acted like a ringmaster of transfer-postings... it has crippled the governance by the Delhi government. He must be doing it at the instance of the Modi government which claims control over the services matter," Mr Sisodia said in the House.
In the past 30 months, Delhi had seen four chief secretaries, Mr Sisodia said, adding that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had got to know about the appointment of chief secretary through the media.
There are huge numbers of vacancies in different arms of the Delhi government and there is no word on when would the vacancies be filled, Mr Sisodia said.
Senior officers, including principal secretaries, are allowed by the LG to go on leave without consulting or informing the ministers concerned, the AAP leader alleged.
The deputy chief minister cited instances of how the functioning of various departments got affected in the past two-and-a-half years due to the "circus" of transfer-postings.
The Department of Environment has seen seven principal secretaries, with the longest tenure of principal secretary environment since August 4, 2016, being eight months, Mr Sisodia said.
The Department of Urban Development -- which is the nodal department for municipal corporations, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, and developmental work in all unauthorised colonies -- has seen eight principal secretaries during the same period, the report said.
The Department of Health and Family Welfare has seen five principal secretaries. At a time when the government was making efforts to procure 3,000 buses and 1,000 electric buses for strengthening public transport in Delhi, the Transport Department has seen four principal secretaries, the minister said.
The Department of Training and Technical Education has seen five principal secretaries and five directors during the same time frame, while the Department of Higher Education has seen five directors, he said.
Delhi has the highest level of vacancies of teachers, doctors, engineers, clerks and other staff due to the perennial mismanagement of the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB), which has seen five principal secretaries, the AAP leader said.
Manish Sisodia said 988 posts of postgraduate teachers, 3,197 posts of trained graduate teachers, 1,124 posts of teachers of different subject were lying vacant in the education department.
He said a total number of 5,309 posts of teachers were lying vacant in the Delhi government schools, but there was no word from the LG or the DSSSB when they would be filled.
As many as 1,144 posts of lecturers are lying vacant in colleges of the Delhi University, where the government contributes five-per cent funds. Another 386 posts of lecturers are lying vacant in DU colleges that are fully-funded by the Delhi government, he added.