The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has sought legal opinion on Delhi government’s four “political” nominations to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Board, sources said.
“It is unlikely to accept the nominations since no political person has ever been appointed in any metro board,” they said.
The issue is hanging fire since July this year when four names — AAP leaders Atishi Marlena and Raghav Chadha, party’s Rajya Sabha MP N.D. Gupta’s son Naveen Gupta, and vice-chairperson of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission Jasmine Shah - were nominated to the DMRC Board by Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.
The Ministry, citing official guideline, had objected to the nominations at the time and asked the Delhi government to withdraw the “non-bureaucrat nominees”.
In reply to the objection raised by the Ministry, Mr. Gahlot had written to it asserting that the Delhi government cannot be dictated terms as it is in equal partnership with the Centre in DRMC.
“The Delhi government has made nominations taking into account their [nominees] background and after being convinced that they will be able to protect the interests of the people of the city as well as AAP dispensation,” Mr. Gahlot had said in his letter to the Ministry.
Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry’s additional secretary Sanjay Murthy in a letter to Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev had cited Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) guidelines according to which officials handling any issue should be appointed as government nominee directors.
