Delhi: LG Saxena and deputy CM Sisodia stand firm on director appointment, allegations and counter-allegations continue

Manish Sisodia and LG VK Saxena
– Photo: Amar Ujala

The appointment of principals in government schools in Delhi has led to another standoff between the lieutenant governor and the deputy chief minister. The LG office has accused the deputy prime minister of lying, giving false and misleading information and violating constitutional provisions and orders of the Supreme Court.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has also refuted the Lieutenant Governor’s comments about the appointment of school principals. Sisodia said the LG is misleading the public by falsely taking credit for retransmitting 126 messages. The remaining 244 posts have been put on hold. On the deputy chief minister’s statement about abolishing the posts of directors, the LG’s office said that the deputy chief minister is clearly lying on the matter.

On Sisodia’s claim to unconstitutionally take over the services, the LG said that according to the August 2016 ruling of the Delhi High Court, the services are beyond the scope of the Delhi government under constitutional provisions. It is factually incorrect that the proposal to fill 370 director posts was submitted to LG for consideration.

In fact, Sisodia had sent a proposal to the Lieutenant Governor for approval of the elimination of 244 director posts, including the reinstatement of 126 posts. When the posts were not filled for five years, the Treasury Department considered these posts to be defunct. According to the Ministry of Finance office memorandum dated April 12, 2017, with the exception of the newly created posts, the remaining posts are considered vacant if they remain vacant for more than two years. Of the 370 director posts, 126 had been vacant for more than two years, while 244 had been vacant for more than five years.

Appointment stopped without information

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has claimed that the appointment of principals in government schools has been halted without informing the Education Minister. LG’s claim that the appointment has been delayed by the Delhi government is false. The LG had instructed the officials of the education department not to report to the minister. Sisodia claimed that the LG misled people by falsely taking credit for the revival of 126 messages.