System created for coordination between Delhi govt, Civil Service Authority, says Atishi

Atishi, who replaced Saurabh Bharadwaj as the Services minister a week ago, said that the government will comply with the Act, “as long as it remains prevalent as a law passed by the Indian Parliament”.The AAP government has challenged the ordinance passed by the Centre, which first brought the NCCSA into existence, in the Supreme Court. The matter has been referred to the Constitution Bench.“We have challenged it in the SC. The key question raised at the apex court – whether the central government can acquire power from an elected state government through an ordinance or a bill — still remains. We anticipate that this matter will be treated with the same sensitivity and urgency as the Ordinance case, by the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said.The authority was last scheduled to meet on July 28 but it was postponed for the fifth time in a row. Prior to this, the NCCSA had met on June 29.

Appearing to extend an olive branch, Atishi said, “Meetings of the authority could not be held in the past few months due to some reasons, resulting from a deadlock between officers and the government. The key aim is that the meetings happen timely and that there is a system to coordinate between the authority and the departments.”

She, however, in an order, directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that all proposals for transfers and postings be put up to the Authority with her approval.

“After obtaining the approval of Minister, Services, Secretary, Services, shall send the proposals to the Member Secretary of the NCCSA for putting up before the Authority,” the order states.

“As the vigilance and service minister, I issued a detailed order today. If there is a proper coordination between the authority and the departments, meetings will happen smoothly on time. The CM will continue to attend these meetings,” she said.

Sources, however, said that her directions do not hold any significance as the elected government does not play a role in matters of services after the Act was passed.

“Nowhere does the Act mention the role of the Services minister or hear approval for transfers and posting. The minister has passed this order, but it is not tenable. The representative of the elected government in the authority is the Chief Minister. The services minister or any other minister has no role to play,” said a senior official.