A K Singh to be Delhi’s new Services Secretary, file related to Ashish More’s removal sent to LG

The Delhi government has now sent the file related to his removal to the Lt Governor’s office, a Delhi government official said.

A K Singh will be the new Services Secretary, the official said.

Delhi’s Services Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj had ordered More’s transfer.

The issue was discussed in a meeting of Services Selection Board (CSB) on Wednesday. The meeting chaired by the chief secretary was also attended by additional chief secretary P K Gupta and Services secretary More, officials said.

The CSB was originally scheduled to meet earlier on Tuesday, but it could not due to preoccupation of the chief secretary.

More was removed by the Delhi government from his post on May 11, hours after the Supreme Court order placed the control of bureaucrats working with the Delhi government (excluding those related to police, public order, and land) under the elected government. Earlier, transfers and postings of all Delhi government officers were decided by the Lieutenant Governor.

Besides directing More’s removal, Bharadwaj had ordered that he be replaced by IAS officer A K Singh.

The Delhi government had also approached the Supreme Court alleging the Centre was not implementing its decision to remove More. Chief Justice of India had said that a bench would be constituted to take up the matter.

The CSB is chaired by the chief secretary. It comprises the additional chief secretary and the services secretary as member and member-secretary, respectively. The CSB deals with matters related to the transfer of IAS officers under the Delhi government.