New Delhi: Following Centre’s notification that it is not mandatory for Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to consult Chief Minister in posting and transfer of Delhi government bureaucrats, former solicitor general Gopal Subramanium called the notification illegal and constitutional.
The senior counsel said: “It singularly lacks propriety when the president is still seized with the question.”
“It is illegal and unconstitutional; and presumably, it has been issued without the requisite presidential approval,” he added.
Earlier Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had sought Subramanium’s opinion over the Narendra Modi government’s decree. The nine-page opinion addressed to the Kejriwal was sent on Friday.
Amid the tussle between Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Centre on Thursday backed Jung saying it was not mandatory for him to consult Delhi CM Kejriwal on matters like appointment of bureaucrats.
The tussle between AAP government and Lt Governor Najeeb Jung started with the appointment of Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary.
Kejriwal on last Friday strongly opposed the appointment of Gamlin by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.
Kejriwal has accused Gamlin of trying to favour two Reliance Infra-owned discoms through a Rs 11,000-crore loan and claimed the Modi government wants AAP dispensation to “fail”.
Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Najeeb Jung also met President Pranab Mukherjee and blamed each other of violating the Constitution.