200 DANICS-cadre officers to strike today
Nearly 200 officers of the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) are to go on strike today in protest of the Delhi government's decision to suspend two DANICS officers. Terming the suspension by the government as "illegal", the DANICS Officers' Association has apprised the Union Home Minister of their decision. Association members have condemned the AAP government's "unconstitutional" decision.
The AAP government suspended two state cadre officers of its Home Department for refusing to sign on a Cabinet decision file related to salary hike of public prosecutors. According to sources, Yashpal Garg, Special Secretary (Prosecution), and Subhash Chandra, Special Secretary (Prisons) of the DANICS were suspended over the matter. The matter is expected to renew tensions between AAP and Delhi's Lt Governor.
Since Delhi is not a state, state cadre officers of Delhi Home Department can only be suspended by the Delhi Lt Governor with approval from the Union Home Ministry, not the state government.
The Delhi Government defended the suspension of two senior officers of its Home Department, saying that it was administrative matter. AAP alleged that the Lt. Governor was behind the strike. Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain reacted to the matter saying "It is clear that it's a conspiracy, if officers had grievances they should have gone to the Chief Minister and not the Lieutenant Governor."
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vijender Gupta reacted to the suspension of the officers and demanded that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should immediately resign on moral grounds. BJP questioned the Delhi government's authority over the suspension citing constitutional clauses. The AAP government continued to allege that the issue is a deep-rooted conspiracy against the Delhi government by the BJP led government at the Centre.
Nearly 200 officers of the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) are to go on strike today in protest of the Delhi government's decision to suspend two DANICS officers. Terming the suspension by the government as "illegal", the DANICS Officers' Association has apprised the Union Home Minister of their decision. Association members have condemned the AAP government's "unconstitutional" decision.
The Union Home Ministry overturned the suspension of the DANICS officers stating that DANICS cadre are selected through the Union Public Service Commission and only the MHA has authority on their suspension.
