Amid the unprecedented situation in Delhi secretariat where two home secretaries have been functioning out of the same premises, the AAP government on Monday issued directions to one of them, Dharam Pal, asking him to vacate his office or else be liable “to administrative and disciplinary action”. This comes after Pal was relieved of his duties as principal secretary (home) by the Kejriwal government, an order which was then negated by a notification from the Union ministry of home affairs. While Pal has continued to stay in his office, the AAP government have asked for all files connected to the department to be sent to Rajendra Kumar, who was appointed home secretary by Delhi’s services department. [related-post] The order signed by Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain says that “Dharam Pal has already been relieved by this government” and that if he continued to “occupy office in this secratariat, the same would be considered unauthorised.and he would be liable for administrative as well as disciplinary action in this regard.” The order also says: “Further, chief secretary may kindly ensure that files of home department are not put up to the officer unauthorisedly occupying the post of principal secretary (home) but to the officer assigned the charge of secretary (home) by services department vide order No. 297.I am also marking a copy of this note to all officers in home department for strict compliance.” Sources in Delhi government said their stance against the continuation of Pal as home secretary after he “failed to keep the Delhi government in the loop” on the appointment of M K Meena as joint commissioner of police in charge of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). A proposal, dated June 8, signed by Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi and sent to the L-G’s office said: “The police establishment board proposes M K Meena (IPS 1989) Jt CP/New Delhi range to look after the work of Jt CP/Anti Corruption Branch.” A government official said that “on the same day, the L-G passed the orders and sent them to the home department”, and the appointment was made on the same day.
