The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Delhi government and the Delhi Lieutenant Governor to engage in discussions regarding the shortlisting of candidates for the Chief Secretary position in the national capital. The three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, urged both parties to exchange the names of potential candidates before the central government finalizes the shortlist on Tuesday.
This directive came in response to a plea filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government, against the Centre for extending the tenure of the current Delhi Chief Secretary, Naresh Kumar – or appoint a new official.
During the hearing, the bench instructed the central government to propose a list of three candidates, from which the Delhi government would make a selection. The three names would be disclosed after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Center, discusses them internally.
The bench emphasized the need for a practical resolution, suggesting that the Lieutenant Governor (VK Saxena) and the Chief Minister (Arvind Kejriwal) should meet to resolve the matter without resorting to court intervention. The central government agreed to this suggestion but requested that the names of the candidates remain confidential.
In agreement with this request, Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasized the importance of maintaining confidentiality to prevent harm to the reputation of individuals not selected, stating, “You cannot reveal the name as this causes serious harm to the reputation of the person who is not selected.”
The AAP government has made several allegations against Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, including involvement in a multi-crore ‘hospital scam.’ Previously, the party accused Kumar of a Rs 850-crore land compensation scam related to the Dwarka Expressway project. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has forwarded the Vigilance Department’s report on the ‘hospital scam’ to VK Saxena and has called for Kumar’s removal due to allegations of his involvement in the scandal.
