In a move that could further escalate the ongoing tussle between Delhi LG and CM, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has returned 47 files signed by the staff in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). The files were not signed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Most of the files that have been returned are from the Education department, headed by Manish Sisodia. Some files are also from the Waqf Board and other departments.
The move comes just days after the Lieutenant Governor wrote to the chief minister asking him to sign all the files and proposals that are forwarded to him from his office. He also said that if files are not signed by the CM himself, he would consider them not seen and approved by the chief minister.
In his letter, the LG said that the CMO had been sending proposals signed by officials with comments that they have been “seen and approved” by the chief minister. “Proposals have been submitted by your office for my approval/opinion with remarks CM has seen and approved the proposal, without specifying grounds of urgency warranting such a communication…it may be ensured that proposals should be duly signed by you,” the LG said.
The LG further said that in the absence of the chief minister’s signature, it was not clear whether the proposal had been seen and approved by him or not. “In the interest of smooth and effective governance, it may be ensured that proposals, which are submitted by your office for my opinion or approval as the case may be, should be duly signed by your good self,” he wrote.
