Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has removed 223 employees from the capital’s women’s commission. The allegations are grave, suggesting that these appointments were made by AAP MP Swati Maliwal during her tenure as chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, in clear violation of established rules and procedures.
The order issued by the Lieutenant Governor’s office points to a crucial aspect of the Delhi Commission for Women Act, highlighting that the panel is only sanctioned to have 40 employees. An additional 223 posts were created without the requisite approval from the Lieutenant Governor, and the commission was reminded that it lacks the authority to hire employees on a contractual basis.
223 employees from the Delhi Women Commission have been removed with immediate effect on the order of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. It is alleged that the then chairperson of the Delhi Women Commission, Swati Maliwal, had appointed them without permission, going against the… pic.twitter.com/wMZmaTuX9l
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2024
The order also emphasises that the commission should refrain from taking any action that would lead to additional financial liability for the government without prior approval from the finance department. An investigation revealed that these appointments were not conducted according to the prescribed procedures, and the staff enhancement of remuneration and allowances was done without adequate justification.
Before assuming her role as an AAP MP in the Rajya Sabha, Swati Maliwal served as the Delhi Commission for Women chairperson for nine years. The order highlights that Maliwal was repeatedly advised to seek approval from the finance department regarding the appointments, which allegedly went unheeded.
The AAP and Swati Maliwal are yet to respond to these allegations, setting the stage for another confrontation between the Lieutenant Governor’s office and the ruling AAP over the governance of the national capital. The AAP has consistently accused the Lieutenant Governor’s office of obstructing its governance initiatives while alleging interference from the ruling BJP.
