Delhi Govt makes presence of officers at public hearings mandatory, absence without permission to face action

“Attendance of designated officers at these camps has now been made compulsory. If a designated officer is unable to attend, they must obtain prior permission from the district magistrate concerned. Absence without such permission will invite disciplinary action,” said an official.

“It was recalled that on April 7, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, in a meeting with the divisional commissioner and all district magistrates, had directed that at least one public hearing camp be held every week in each revenue district. She had also instructed that inter-departmental coordination committee meetings be convened regularly in various subdivisions,” the official added.

The Delhi chief minister made it clear that only designated officers must attend these forums for direct dialogue with the public. Sending representatives or subordinate staff would not be acceptable under any circumstances, the officials added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Gupta’s weekly Jan Sunwai (public hearing) will not take place this Wednesday. According to sources, Gupta announced last week that the Jan Sunwai will now be conducted across all Delhi Assembly constituencies, instead of being limited to her camp office.

Officials said that suitable venues are currently being identified to accommodate the event’s logistical and security requirements. “The Jan Sunwai programme needs large open spaces and adequate security arrangements. The process of locating appropriate venues is underway. The chief minister will soon begin meeting people and hearing their grievances at these weekly events across constituencies,” an official said.

The decision to expand and relocate the public hearing comes after an incident at last week’s Jan Sunwai at the CM’s camp office, where a man from Rajkot, Gujarat, allegedly attacked the Chief Minister. In response, security at future public hearings will be significantly tightened.

Sources also confirmed that citizens attending the programme will now be interviewed and screened by government officers before being allowed to meet the Delhi chief minister.