: The stage seems to be set for another confrontation between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the Centre.
Officers of the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) cadre have threatened to go on mass leave on Thursday after the AAP government suspended two Home Department DANICS officers, who refused to sign a Cabinet decision file. The resolution to go on mass leave was taken after an urgent meeting of the DANICS Officers’ Association and might hamper the ground work of the odd-even car rationing scheme that is to begin on Friday.
The two officials, Yashpal Garg, Special Secretary (Prosecution) and Subhash Chandra, Special Secretary (Prisons), were suspended after they refused to sign a file related to the Cabinet’s decision to increase salary of public prosecutors, a Delhi government spokesperson said. The cabinet decision was taken recently to hike salaries of standing counsels of the government and public prosecutors.
The government’s decision may add to the ongoing tussle with the centre as a DANICS cadre officer can only be suspended by the Lieutenant Governor, after seeking permission from the Union Home Ministry.
The Association, in its resolution, said that the two officers have been illegally suspended for refusing to sign the notification that was not approved by the competent authority regarding grant of higher pay scales for the staff of Prosecution and Prisons departments.
The Association also said that the officers could not have signed the notification as directed by the Home Minister of the Delhi government as the L-G had already referred the matter to the President of India.
