New Delhi: Delhi minister Atishi claimed on Thursday that the Chief Secretary has outrightly refused to accept an order issued for better coordination between the National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA) and the departments of the Delhi government by referring to the GNCTD (Amendment) Act 2023.
Atishi said, “The 10-page letter written by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar depicts that now an un-elected bureaucracy and L-G will decide how Delhi will be run and how the works of the people will be done here. This letter from the Chief Secretary is a big blow to democracy. This attitude of the bureaucracy and the power given to them through the GNCTD (Amendment) Bill will further delay the works of Delhi’s people.”
Terming the GNCTD (Amendment) Act as against the Constitution, Atishi said it says that the power to make decisions in Delhi will remain with the un-elected bureaucracy and Lieutenant Governor instead of the people of Delhi or the elected government.
She added that Section 45(J)5 of the Act says that the bureaucracy has the right to not accept the decisions of the minister. It says that the Chief Secretary can refuse to accept and execute the orders of ministers if they want, which is a massive blow to democracy, she said.
“The result of this Act was seen by us on August 21 itself, just 10 days after the notification of the Bill. Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, in a 10-page letter, refused to accept an order issued by the minister. As the Services and Vigilance Minister, I passed an order to the Chief Secretary, Secretary (Services), and Secretary (Vigilance) on August 16 for better coordination of NCCSA and the departments of the Delhi government. But in the 10-page letter addressed to me, the Chief Secretary mentioned the GNCTD (Amendment) Act and stated that the elected government does not have the power to decide, the Chief Secretary does,” she said.
Atishi added, “The rejection of orders of the Services Minister by the Chief Secretary is just the beginning of what the Supreme Court bench stated in Paragraph 107. There are several projects of the government in the education, health, power, and transport sectors that have benefited the people of Delhi.
“But given the mention in the GNCTD (Amendment) Act 2023, tomorrow all secretaries can or may refuse to accept the orders of the Ministers by writing long letters. If bureaucrats refuse to accept the orders of the ministers or the elected government, democracy in this country will be shredded into pieces.”
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