SC questions 6-month extension to chief secy

The Union government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that it has decided to give a six-month extension to Delhi’s chief secretary Naresh Kumar, prompting the court to ask if there was no other officer eligible or competent enough to take the reins from the incumbent.

- Utkarsh Anand

While Kumar is scheduled to retire on November 30, the Delhi government has approached the top court opposing any further extension to Kumar and demanding a consultative exercise for the appointment of the next chief secretary of the national capital territory (NCT) government.

“Are you stuck with one name? Whoever you want to appoint, appoint. But is there no other IAS officer you can appoint as the chief secretary?” a bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, asked solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre.

The poser from the bench, which also included justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, came after the SG informed the bench that the Centre has decided to give Kumar an extension for the time being, and that it could have a consultative process with the Delhi government, as suggested by the court last week, as and when the next chief secretary is to be appointed.

On November 24, the bench had suggested the central government propose names of five officials for the post of the chief secretary, from which the Delhi government could pick anyone. Mehta had on the day said that he would revert with appropriate instructions.

When the hearing commenced on Tuesday, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, said that he has not received any name from Mehta so far.