Centre pressurising IAS officers to derail Delhi govt initiatives: Manish Sisodia

New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi government on Wednesday accused the Centre of putting “pressure” on IAS officers to derail its initiatives and decisions despite, the AAP dispensation said, a recent Supreme Court verdict empowering it to take decisions on non-reserved subjects.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged that the IAS officers had refused to comply with the decisions of the Delhi government in several cases like doorstep delivery of rations, challenging a High Court stay on procurement of 2,000 buses in the Supreme Court and development work in unauthorised colonies. 

“This is insubordination. Had ‘services’ been with us, we would have shunted them or initiated disciplinary action against them. But the Centre has usurped the ‘services’ despite the clear verdict by the Supreme Court that the Delhi government has decision-making power,” Sisodia said. 

It can't be a coincidence that most of the IAS officers are “refusing to obey orders of the government” despite the Supreme Court order, the Delhi government said in a statement. “It is very clear that they have (received) instructions from the Centre and the PMO to stall the projects of public welfare in Delhi,” it added. 

Sisodia alleged that the Centre was using threats to make the IAS officers disobey the Delhi government's orders. “How else will they dare to challenge the orders of the government and ministers?” he asked. 

He claimed that the transport commission had refused to obey the Delhi government's decision to challenge a High Court order on procurement of 2,000 standard floor buses in the Supreme Court, while the food commissioner had “obstructed” the decision for doorstep delivery of rations. 

The Deputy Chief Minister further alleged that the law secretary had “refused” the law minister's directions on the Delhi government's panel of advocates in the Supreme Court and the High Court, secretary (administrative reforms) “refused” orders by the concerned minister to issue notifications on appointment of chairman and member of public grievance commission (PGC) and the managing director of Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation (DSIDC) did not comply with the decision to initiate development work in unauthorised colonies.