New Delhi [India]: Days after accusing him of switching off his phone and making himself “unreachable,” Delhi Government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday issued a show-cause notice to Ashish More, who was removed as secretary of the services department last week.
The Delhi government has directed More to reply within 24 hours on why disciplinary proceedings under All India Services (AIS) (Discipline & Appeal) Rules 1969 should not be initiated against him for violation of the AIS (Conduct) Rules 1968.
This comes after, the Delhi government, asked More to make way for way for his replacement. More was asked to present a file for the transfer of a new officer to the post of Secretary of the Services department.
The Delhi government’s decision came a day after the Supreme Court ruled in the favour of Kejriwal government and said that the officers will be reporting to the GNCTD and not the Lieutenant Governor.
Delhi’s Services Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday said that after More was asked to present the file, he unexpectedly left the Secretariat without notifying the Minister’s office, rendering himself unreachable while his phone also remained switched off.
The government in its notice, issued today, said, “The aforesaid conduct of Ashish Madhavrao More it is apparent that after knowing about the intention of the Government of NCTD to transfer him from the post of Secretary Services, he has been trying through illegal means to continue upon the said post for attaining some ulterior objectives. By aforesaid conduct he also intends to sabotage and delay the implementation of the judgment of the Constitution Bench of Supreme Court.
It also appears to be a malafide attempt to obstruct the exercise of lawful powers by an elected Government.”
The Delhi government had earlier said that the failure of the Services Secretary to comply with the orders of the Supreme Court would potentially be considered contempt of court.
