AAP govt wants chief secy replaced by addl CS

NEW DELHI: Delhi government, which has a strained work relationship with chief secretary Naresh Kumar, has urged the Centre to replace him with 1989-batch IAS officer Praveen Kumar Gupta.
Sources said Delhi government late Wednesday sent a letter to the Centre through the LG to appoint Gupta chief secretary. He is currently posted as additional CS in Delhi government and heads general administration & administrative reforms departments. The move comes days after SC placed the executive control of services matters, including transfer & posting of officers, under the elected dispensation.
'Govt fears incumbent CS may create hurdles in reshuffle of officers'
In its May 11 verdict, the Supreme Court had said the division of administrative powers between the Centre and Delhi government "must be respected". It said Delhi government had "legislative and executive power over services", except those relating to public order, police and land.
Sources, however, said the power to appoint the chief secretary still lies with the Centre and it may or may not give credence to Delhi government's proposal appoint 1989-batch IAS officer Praveen Kumar Gupta in the post.
Incumbent chief secretary Naresh Kumar, a 1988-batch AGMUT cadre IAS, has been at loggerheads with AAP government ever since he was posted as chief secretary in the national capital in April last year. He has often been accused of bypassing the elected dispensation and taking direct orders from the LG on various issues without keeping the ministers in loop.
Sources said Delhi government had been mulling a major reshuffle in bureaucracy in the capital and was of the view that the incumbent chief secretary may act as a stumbling block and may delay the process.
"Before the government transfers officers, it may like to have a new chief secretary," said an official, requesting anonymity.
Delhi government had earlier this year accused the chief secretary of sitting over a crucial communication from the Union home ministry for two days, which, it said, caused a delay in presenting the 2023-24 Budget in the legislative assembly by a day. The government had also alleged that the chief secretary was "conspiring" with the LG and the power secretary to disrupt the electricity subsidy scheme.
While Kumar is due to retire in November this year, Gupta will retire in January 2024. Though seniority is no longer a criterion these days in the appointment of officers on crucial posts, there are three more AGMUT cadre IAS officers from the 1988-batch - Renu Sharma, Chetan B Sanghi and Dharam Pal - who are senior to Gupta and currently posted out of Delhi government.