Delhi L-G hits back at Sisodia over principal appointment claim

“It is factually incorrect that the proposal of filling up of 370 posts of principals (meant to be filled through promotion from vice-principal) was submitted for consideration of the L-G,” officials of the L-G House argued. “The education department, under Manish Sisodia, submitted a proposal for revival of 126 posts and abolition of 244 posts of principal for L-G’s approval,” they said. Out of the 370 vacant posts of principal, 126 posts were vacant for more than two years and 244 were vacant for more than five years, bringing them within purview of “deemed abolition”, L-G House officials stated. They said posts remained vacant for over five years, as the department could not fill these.

Sisodia issued a fresh rebuttal stating that L-G had stalled appointments of principals, and now files were submitted to the L-G again “bypassing the education minister under instructions from L-G.”

L-G House officials said that as per the constitutional scheme of governance of Delhi, as settled by the Delhi High Court in its judgment dated August 4, 2016, ‘services’ was outside the legislative and executive domain of the Delhi government. “Proposal was submitted by the education department after a study… for revival of 126 posts and abolition of 244…,” they said, adding that the L-G approved the proposal for revival of 126 posts.

Calling all statements of the L-G a “lie”, Sisodia Tuesday said, “Saxena is lying by claiming delay on part of the government; he has directed education department officials to report to him and not the minister. He is misleading the people of Delhi by falsely appropriating the credit for revival of 126 posts while putting the remaining 244 on the back burner.”

“On directions of the L-G, files related to the appointment are not shown to the Education Minister. The non-appointment of principals is a failure of L-G’s functioning.”

L-G House officials said Saxena did not agree with the proposal of abolition of 244 posts. “It is wrong to suggest that L-G has withheld appointment of principals on 244 posts… directions have been issued… to expedite the process of appointment on promotion to the post of principal by simultaneous creation of 244 posts,” they added.

Sisodia said, “Why were 244 posts not filled on time? Who is responsible for failure that posts were vacant for more than five years? Principals’ posts in the 244 schools need to be filled urgently.”