Delhi CM residence row: SC dismisses plea by 6 PWD officials, asks them to approach CAT

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to quash the show-cause notice served by the vigilance department to six PWD officers over the alleged violations of rules in renovation work undertaken at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's official residence.

In September, the Delhi High Court asked the six PWD officials to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) to challenge the show-cause notices issued to them.

The High Court was hearing the appeal moved by the Delhi government against an order passed by a single judge directing that no coercive steps should be taken by any authority against the six PWD officials.

Citing a Supreme Court judgment, the High Court ruled that in respect of a service dispute, an application has to be preferred under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act. Thus, the writ petition by the PWD officials before the single judge was not maintainable and it should have been dismissed.

The six PWD officials have been accused of violation of rules in the renovation of Kejriwal's official residence in Civil Lines. The notices were issued to them to explain their actions.

However, the officials claimed that the notices were an outcome of a political tussle between the L-G and the Aam Admi Party.