The AAP government on Tuesday rejected an order to reinstate YVVJ Rajasekhar as special secretary (vigilance), with Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj, and termed the first order passed under the Ordinance brought in by the BJP-led Centre, which effectively wrests control of transfer, posting, and vigilance matters of bureaucrats in the national capital to a newly-formed authority, illegal and ordered an inquiry regarding its issuance. He asserted that he was the competent authority in the matter.

Delhi Services Minister Bhardwaj termed the order issued on Monday by the vigilance directorate as “unauthorised and illegal” and directed withdrawal of all work and files from Rajasekhar.  It is the latest fallout of the ongoing tug-of-war between the Centre and the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government to control administrative services in the national capital.

The vigilance directorate order reinstating Rajasekhar was the first such direction after the Centre promulgated an ordinance that effectively brought services matters, including transfer and posting of bureaucrats, in the Delhi government back to the Lieutenant Governor’s domain.  The ordinance was brought by the Centre after the Supreme Court verdict on May 11 gave executive control over services-related matters to the elected arm of the Delhi government.

Bhardwaj, in an office memorandum, claimed that he was the competent authority and asserted that the order issued on Monday by vigilance directorate to reinstate Rajasekhar was “unauthorised, invalid and illegal” and no action should be taken based on it.  Rajasekhar, who was divested of his charge on Bhardwaj’s orders, had resumed work in the capacity of special secretary of both vigilance and services departments and attended office after the vigilance order.