Jung rejects appointment made by Kejriwal government

New Delhi: Soon after bureaucrat Rajendra Kumar was made the principal secretary (services) by the AAP government on Monday, Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung rejected his appointment saying it did not have his approval.

These developments further escalated the tussle between the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government and the Lt. Governor.

Kumar was made principal secretary (services), replacing Anindo Majumdar.

Earlier, Majumdar, who had issued the order posting Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary, was barred from entering his office at the Delhi Secretariat. His office in the secretariat was locked in the morning.

"Kumar has been given charge of the principal secretary (services) of the government of Delhi," said an official of the Delhi government.

Reacting to the appointment of Kumar as principal secretary (services) by the Delhi government Lt. Governor Jung shot off a letter to Kejriwal declaring Kumar's appointment in place of Majumdar "void".

In his letter to the chief minister, Jung said that he rejected Kumar's appointment as it did not have his approval.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia confirmed that he had received the letter.

"Letter received from Hon. LG at 14.35," Sisodia tweeted.

"A due reply to the letter is being formed and will be sent to Lt. Governor," said an official of the Delhi government.

It is also learnt from sources that in its reply to the Lt. Governor the government would cite some 'transaction and business' rules.

The tussle had erupted on May 15 over the appointment of Gamlin as the chief secretary in-charge, who the chief minister accused of lobbying for power distribution companies.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday had attacked the Narendra Modi government over the row pertaining to Gamlin's appointment as acting chief secretary of Delhi, saying it was meant to trip his government.