Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday evening amidst escalating tensions between his government and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung over the appointment of senior IAS officer Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary.
Kejriwal had sought appointment for a meeting with the President. According to sources in the Chief Minister's Office, the Rashtrapati Bhavan has given him appointment at 6 pm.
On Monday, Gamlin had met Union Home Secretary L C Goyal in the wake of the AAP government's decision to remove Anindo Majumdar from the post of principal secretary (Services).
Majumdar was not allowed to enter his office ostensibly because he had followed the orders of Jung to allow Gamlin to take charge as acting chief secretary.
Majumdar removal from his post led Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitender Singh to say that the development has had an impact on the entire civil services.
"DoPT appointments are transparent and according to the norms. It is wrong to say that there is some other reason. I would expect all to respect the civil servants as it has an impact on the entire services," he said.
Meanwhile, Jung objected to Majumdar's removal and declared the Delhi government's decision as void.
A press release issued by Jung's office stated that the order to remove Majumdar "does not have the approval of the Lt Governor, who is the competent authority to transfer officials of that rank. This order is ab-initio void."
