Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena has approved the temporary dissolution of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission (DDCD) and the removal of its non-official members.
This decision will remain in effect until a new mechanism for screening and selecting domain experts as vice-chairman and members is developed. According to an official release from the LG's office on Thursday, the current structure of the DDCD was criticised for allegedly providing financial benefits and patronage to certain favoured political individuals.
The LG's office stated that the establishment of the DDCD by the current government seemed aimed at extending financial benefits and political patronage to select individuals.
The release accused the government of allowing politically appointed individuals to remain in their positions at the Chief Minister's discretion, without a transparent screening process.
It also highlighted that these individuals were paid substantial salaries from the public exchequer, which were deemed disproportionate to their assigned duties, calling it a clear case of nepotism and favouritism that disregarded established rules.
The LG's release noted that the Planning Department of the Delhi Government had documented the absence of specific work allocations among the DDCD members. Consequently, it was deemed both undesirable and illegal to continue paying these non-official members substantial salaries.
The release added that all DDCD members were receiving salaries equivalent to the rank and pay of a Secretary to the Government of India. The LG also instructed the Finance Department to explore the possibility of recovering the salaries paid to these non-official members.
This decision, aimed at establishing a transparent screening process for selecting domain experts, has sparked a political controversy. Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj described the move as "petty politics," criticising the LG's decision.
Bharadwaj pointed out that political appointees in various commissions, committees, and boards are a common practice in the central government and BJP-ruled state governments. He mentioned commissions such as the Women Commission and the SC/ST Commission as examples.
In a post on X, Bharadwaj further highlighted the irony of the situation, noting that LG Saxena himself was a political appointee without undergoing any advertisement, test, or interview process.
He challenged the LG to enlighten the public if there had been any advertisement for the post of LG, sarcastically questioning whether Saxena had competed in a written exam to secure the position.
This is not the first time that the DDCD has faced such actions. In 2022, the DDCD vice-chairman Jasmine Shah was restricted from performing his duties, his office was sealed, and the facilities provided to him were withdrawn following an order by the LG.
The dissolution of the DDCD and the removal of its members underscore ongoing tensions between the Delhi government and the LG's office. The debate over political appointments and the need for transparent processes continue to be a significant point of contention in the capital's governance.
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