Delhi Chief Secy seeks details from Sisodia’s office after Deputy CM accuses LG of “bypassing” ministers

New Delhi [India], December 27 (ANI): Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar has written to the office of Manish Sisodia to provide by January 2, 2023, the details of files and orders on the basis of which the Deputy Chief Minister had alleged that the Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena was “bypassing” ministers and giving direct orders to bureaucrats.

According to sources, the letter by the chief secretary was in response to a communication sent by Sisodia on December 23 alleging that the LG Secretariat has “of late, in recent past resorted to the practice of calling for files from various departments through their respective Secretaries, the Chief Secretary and transacting business thereon, such as approving the issuance of notifications etc., completely bypassing the concerned Minister as also the Cabinet.”

Sisodia had in the letter marked to the Chief Secretary, Private Secretaries, Secretaries and head of departments(HoDs), blamed them for sending “certain files pertaining to important policy decisions… directly to the LG Secretariat without routing the same/putting it up to me as the Minister in charge of the Department….” and alleged that it had come to his notice that “LG has given direct orders/directions and approvals to officers bypassing the Council of Ministers …”

Sisodia’s order also directed the chief secretary and other private secretaries, secretaries to “forthwith place before me any/all files that have been sent by you on any/all matters pertaining to the Business of GNCTD directly to the LG, bypassing my office”.

The order letter by Sisodia, accessed by ANI, further reads “any directions received directly from LG should also be placed before Minister in charge for necessary directions/course of action before implementing the same…”

A copy of the communication from the chief secretary’s office has also been marked to all private secretaries, secretaries, CEOs, MDs, Directors, Commissioners with instructions to provide details of all such cases referred to by the Deputy Chief Minister, (if no such case is there, then provide a nil report), to the Chief Secretary latest by January 2, 2023, for further necessary action.