223 Sacked In Delhi Lieutenant Governor's Big Move Against AAP Appointments

In a major crackdown, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has removed 223 employees of the capital's women commission. AAP MP Swati Maliwal, it is alleged, made the appointments during her term as chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women in violation of the rules.

The order issued by the Lieutenant Governor's office cites the Delhi Commission for Women Act and says that the panel has a sanctioned strength of 40 employees and that 223 new posts were created without the approval of the Lieutenant Governor. The order also states that the commission does not have the authority to hire employees on contract.

The order also says that the commission had been informed that they shall not take any step "which entails additional financial liability for the government" without the approval of the finance department.

A probe, it said, had found that these appointments were not made according to laid down procedures. "Further, the enhancement of the remuneration and allowances to the staff of DCW was without adequate justification and in violation of the laid down procedures and guidelines," it added.

Before entering Rajya Sabha as an AAP MP, Ms Maliwal headed the Delhi Commission for Women for nine years. The post of the panel's chairperson is currently vacant. The order mentions that Ms Maliwal was advised repeatedly to seek the finance department's approval with regard to the appointments.

The AAP and Ms Maliwal are yet to respond to the allegations. She will be speaking to the media later today. 

The crackdown is set to become another flashpoint between the Lieutenant Governor's office and the ruling AAP over the administration of the national capital.

The AAP has repeatedly accused the Lieutenant Governor's office of blocking its governance steps. The Lieutenant Governor is a central appointee, and AAP has accused the ruling BJP of not allowing it to act freely.

The development also comes at a time when AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in jail after being arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in the capital's now-scrapped liquor policy.