L-G stays all appointments by Delhi government without consulting him

New Delhi: With both sides refusing to budge down on the power tussle, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on Wednesday stayed all orders issued by Delhi government without consulting him. The appointments haven't been cancelled so far. The order came after days of bitter war of words between the two sides over the appointment of senior IAS officer Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Delhi Chief Secretary.

Both the sides are claiming to have the power and authority over the other to choose bureaucrats and have approached President PRanab Mukherjee over the issue.

The Lt Governor has written to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, mentioning his "constitutional power" to appoint and transfer bureaucrats. In the letter, the Lt Governor challenged AAP government's order to bureaucrats not to follow his directives without getting approval from the Chief Minister or any other minister.

With war escalating with each passing day, Home Minister Rajnath Singh met President Pranab Mukherjee and said no discussion was held on the issue. He said, "The Lt Governor and Chief Minister should take a solution to this issue. Both should sit together and resolve the issue."

Sources added that the Attorney General has given his opinion to the L-G and Rajnath Singh apprised apprise the President of the same. The President has sought legal opinion on the issue after he had separate meetings with both Kejriwal and Jung on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging interference by the Central government. He has said that the Centre is trying to run the Delhi government through backdoor and asked the PM to let his government function as per the Constitution.

The government sources said the Centre has refused to intervene saying it is simply an ego clash.

Kejriwal had earlier called a meeting of all department heads to apprise them of the administration rules and insisted the Lt Governor be kept out of loop.

Amid its bitter face-off with the Lt Governor, the AAP government also directed all its officials to apprise the Chief Minister or Minister concerned about any oral or written direction from the L-G or his office before following them.

In a directive, the order signed by Kejriwal, said the bureaucrats including the Chief Secretary will have to first consult with the Chief Minister and other Ministers about any communication from the Lt Governor before acting on such directions.

"To ensure smooth functioning of day-to-day affairs of our government in accordance with the Constitution of India, the Government of NCT of Delhi Act and Transaction of Business of the Delhi Government it is hereby ordered that any direction or order, whether oral or written, received from Honorable Lt Governor or his office to the Chief Secretary or any administrative Secretary, shall first be submitted by the concerned administrative Secretary/Chief Secretary on the file to the Minister in-charge and the Chief Minister for a decision," the order said.