New Delhi: In a move that may strain the relationship between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi and the Union government, the Union home ministry on Wednesday (June 19) appointed Delhi’s chief secretary Naresh Kumar as chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
Kumar has frequently been at cross-purposes with the AAP government ever since he was appointed chief secretary in April 2022.
The 1987-batch Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory cadre IAS officer had retired in November 2023 but was given two back-to-back extensions by the prime minister-led cabinet appointments committee on May 29.
His additional charge as NDMC chairperson comes a year ahead of the Delhi assembly elections and is likely to create further tensions.
The NDMC governs large parts of Lutyens’ Delhi, which houses all Union government offices and buildings.
“…With the approval of the competent authority, it is decided to assign the charge of chairperson, New Delhi Municipal Council to Shri Naresh Kumar, IAS (AGMUT: 1987), chief secretary of govt. of NCT of Delhi, in addition to his existing charges, with immediate effect for a term not exceeding 02 months from the date of assumption of charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier…”, Kumar’s appointment order issued by the home ministry read.
Currently, the AAP government is at loggerheads with the Union government over the water shortage in the capital at a time when the National Capital Territory region is facing among its worst summers. AAP minister Atishi on Wednesday wrote a letter to the Union government asking it to increase water supply to Delhi immediately lest she be forced to sit on a “satyagraha”.
This will be Kumar’s second stint at the NDMC; his first was between 2015 and 2019. Ever since he was appointed as Delhi’s top bureaucrat, Kumar, who was former Arunachal Pradesh chief secretary, has been leading the vigilance probe into the excise policy case.
The probe led to the arrest of senior AAP ministers, including chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and MP Sanjay Singh by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.
Kumar also initiated enquiries on the renovation of the CM’s bungalow, a matter that the BJP made a big political controversy.
The AAP has alleged that Kumar has been acting at the Union government’s behest and has stalled important government works, demanding his removal from the post multiple times.
