Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Monday said thousands of vacant posts in the Delhi government will be filled if the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation gets control over services matter.

The minister said that such recruitments will speed up work at various departments of the government.

Inaugurating a bridge in Janakpuri, Bharadwaj hoped that the elected government in Delhi will get back control over services matter through the Supreme Court.

The Centre on Saturday notified the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Act, 2023, that brings services matter in Delhi government, including transfer and postings of officers, under its domain.

The health minister said the Arvind Kejriwal government wants to recruit new doctors and engineers but it has no power to do it.

The power to appoint new doctors and engineers is not in the hands of the elected government. The government wants to appoint new doctors but their appointment is in the hands of the lieutenant governor since 2015, he said.

"If this power comes in the hands of elected government, thousands of vacant posts will be filled. This will also speed up work that has slowed down due to lack of staff at various departments," he said.

Bharadwaj said he was told by officers that they cannot remove officials caught in wrongdoing because they are the only ones available due to shortage of staff.

The minister said that the Supreme Court on two occasions, in 2018 and 2023, gave its verdict that powers related to services matter lied with the elected government in Delhi but the Centre did not accept it.

The Supreme Court on May 11 gave control over services matter to the elected government in Delhi. However, a week later, the Centre through an ordinance created a three-member National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA) headed by the Delhi chief minister.

The newly created authority comprising the chief secretary and the home secretary of the Delhi government as its two other members, ensured that the services matter remained in control of the Centre that made appointments of the two officers.

The Delhi government challenged the ordinance in the Supreme Court that has referred the matter to a five-judge Constitution Bench. The court has yet to come out with its verdict.

Meanwhile, the Centre brought a bill that was passed by Parliament and has now become the GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2023, after consent of the President and its notification by the Centre.

Bharadwaj hoped that the Arvind Kejriwal government will get back the power over services matter through the court and appealed to people to extend their blessings to it.

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