Kejriwal slams Delhi IAS for continuing strike; IAS AGMUT Association says there’s no strike, work is on with “written communications”

DELHI chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, deputy CM Manish Sisodia and two other cabinet ministers spent the Monday night at the waiting room of the Lt Governor’s residence, protesting against what they claimed the LG’s inaction to end the bureaucrats’ strike in Delhi. “In the history of independent India, this is the first time that IAS officers on strike for four months. Why?” — Kejriwal tweeted on Monday. IAS AGMUT Association strongly refuted the charges, saying that no officer…

Ashish Joshi: The cigar-smoking bureaucrat on whose complaint CBI raided Delhi secretariat

Ashish Joshi, an Indian Post and Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service officer, concedes he smokes cigars, but not in the office premises as alleged by an Aam Aadmi Party leader when Joshi was forced to relinquish the post of Member Secretary, Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC). Joshi, believed to be close to AAP’s ideology then, was let down, and he in turn complained against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s key bureaucrat Rajendra Kumar, a 1989 batch IAS. Know more about Ashish Joshi:

Why IAS officers of Delhi, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh are “concerned” and “frustrated”. Read IAS Association’s resolutions

IF THE resolutions of a meeting of the executive committee of IAS Association (Indian Civil and Administrative (Central) Association) held on May 25, 2015 in New Delhi are anything to go by, the IAS officers belonging to three states in particular -- NCT Delhi, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh – are getting more concerned and frustrated because of the recent trend of posting non-cadre officers to cadre posts, something what the association terms as a “blatant violation” of the IAS (cadre) Rules, 1954 and that it reduces efficiency of the administration. “IAS officers are specifically trained over their career-span to deal with jobs requiring specific background, experience and understanding. Posting of officers from indifferent backgrounds against…

Delhi govt bureaucrats asked to spot defamatory news and pass it over to principal secretary (home); full text of the controversial circular

ALL bureaucrats working under the government of National Capital Territory of Delhi have a new assignment: To find news items which they think are defamatory to chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal), his ministers and officials, and then to lodge a formal complaint to principal secretary (home) who in turn will seek the opinion of the director (prosecution) and law department so that further action could be taken. Though the circular was issued last week (May 6 to be precise), it came to the limelight only on Sunday. Political parties condemned the circular, with the BJP saying the circular implies that there is an unannounced emergency under Kejriwal. First, let's read what’s exact wording in the circular:

Any suggestion on women safety? Any Complaint? Contact Usha Mehra Commission at Vigyan Bhawan

ON DAY 1 of the New Year 2013, the government announced constituting a Special Task Force comprising Union home secretary, Delhi chief secretary among others to look into safety issues of women in Delhi on a fortnightly basis. Also, do you have any complaint or suggestions to make on women safety? You can contact Justice Usha Mehra Commission personally or call in the following telephone numbers:

RIP “Nirbhaya”: Bureaucrats express solidarity, lend voices on policing, mentality change

Protests in Delhi (File photo)

FROM “quick and sensitive policing” to suggestions on “national flag flown at half mast” Indian bureaucrats have resorted to social media to lend their voices on Delhi gang-rape case. As the news of Delhi gang-rape victim Nirbhaya’s death in a Singapore hospital shocked the nation on Saturday early morning, here are some voices of Indian bureaucrats:

Can govt prevent crimes like Delhi rape; FAQs on sexual harassment in offices

THE recent horrific gang rape in Delhi is a reflection of how women are being treated in our families and in society, say experts. Home secretary RK Singh’s spirited press conference on Friday is a welcome step, but can government alone bring a solution to this deep-rooted menace? The reality is, the cases of sexual harassment within government offices are often spotted, complained and investigated. Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers on sexual harassment of women in government offices:

Dikshit’s confidante PK Tripathi appointed as new chief secretary of Delhi

Sheila Dikshit’s right hand man and 1977 batch IAS Praveen K Tripathi will be Delhi’s new chief secretary. Tripathi who started his career as assistant commissioner in July 1979 in Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, became a close confidante of Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit when he was picked up as the principal secretary to CM in June 2006.

Dikshit has now chosen Tripathi to head Delhi’s bureaucracy at a time when she receives flaks from PM-appointed Shunglu committee on Commonwealth Games’ extravaganza. Dikshit and her team of bureaucrats have however refuted the charges leveled against her government. Significantly, Tripathi too was engaged closely with the Games as he was the principal secretary in charge of information and publicity of the Commonwealth Games between December 2007 and July 2009.

Some of Tripathi’s key postings included CEO of Delhi Jal Board and chairman of Delhi Tourism and Transportation Corporation. On a Central deputation, Tripathi also served as a joint secretary in information and broadcasting ministry.

An MA in political science, Tripathi hails from Uttar Pradesh, and had earlier served in Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.