Three top bureaucrats are in the reckoning in the race of Delhi Chief Secretary (CS) after the incumbent CS Anshu Prakash was transferred to Union Ministry of Telecommunications amidst the ongoing tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispensation and bureaucrats.

Manoj Parida  of the 1986 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of Arunchal, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre and currently posted as the additional Chief Secretary (Home)  is among the three front runners.

Naresh Kumar the Chairman of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and 1987 batch IAS officer and SN Sahai of the 1986 batch and posted as Additional Secretary in Union Ministry of Power are also in the race. Sahai who held important Home and Finance departments in Arvind Kejriwal Government is a serious contender to occupy the top job with Delhi Government.

Incidentally, Paraksh who was in news for being allegedly attacked by AAP leaders at CM residents' in odd hours had been transferred in the Department of Telecommunication as additional secretary. Prakash has been appointed after a vacancy was created by the appointment of another IAS official - N Sivasailam as Special Secretary (Logistics), Department of Commerce. He was 1986 batch officer.

Sahai had worked as Finance Secretary with Delhi Government and was transferred to Centre in May of this year, Power.

Meanwhile, senior AAP leader  raised questions on the sudden transfer of Prakash "What was the reason to transfer the Chief Secretary now? When the court is due to give its verdict, this decision could have been taken later. The Delhi Government has not received any official communication on this yet. The Centre neither informed nor consulted us about the transfer of Anshu Prakash and also about appointing his successor," said Nagendar Sharma, media adviser to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, CM Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia approached the Delhi High Court Tuesday challenging a trial court's order directing that prosecution in the Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash assault case be conducted by an officer of Delhi Police not below the rank of ACP.

Kejriwal and Sisodia, who wqere summoned as accused in the assault case, also challenged the order permitting two advocates to conduct the prosecution on behalf of the officer of Delhi Police, instead of regular public prosecutor.