MHA yet to place Arvind Kejriwal in NDMC

NEW DELHI: In a sign of souring Centre-AAP relations, a routine procedural notification nominating Delhi CM and New Delhi MLA Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Cantonment MLA Surinder Singh to the NDMC Council has been hanging fire for over 10 days.

With the absence of two members, several decisions including providing 700 litres of free water to those living in the NDMC area and regularizing of contract workers has been held up.

The home ministry is still to give its nod of approval for nominating the two legislators though the paperwork for it the nomination was cleared by the LG lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung at least 10 days earlier. "The approval for being nominated on the civic body's council is a mere formality. In fact, it should have been done within days but appears to be delayed for no reason,'' a source said.

The notion that the Centre is deliberately delaying the process gains credence as this comes at the back of the MHA reversing its decision to appoint senior IPS officer Praveer Ranjan as the anti-corruption bureau chief. Kejriwal had specifically sought Ranjan's appointment.

When asked contacted, a senior MHA official said the notification would be done soon. In the meantime, the council held a meeting without the new members. The council includes Congress members Ajay Maken, Tajdar Babbar and Ashok Ahuja.

Among the decisions that have been delayed is permanent jobs for all contract workers which was part of the AAP manifesto. The present policy for regularization demands that a contract employee should have completed at least six years in the job before being considered for a permanent position.

According to the new proposal, those with 2,000 days of attendance will be eligible.