Delhi Lt governor LG Baijal backs Jung's decision on repartiating Assembly Secretary

The Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) on Tuesday informed the Delhi High Court about his decision endorsing his predecessor's order to repatriate the Secretary of the Legislative Assembly to his parent organisation Prasar Bharati.

The high court, however, did not hold hearing on the plea by Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Nival Goel against previous LG Najeeb Jung's decision to repatriate Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara, as the court did not assemble for the post lunch sitting.

The matter will be heard on April 27. The Speaker and Prasar Bharati are locked in a tug-of-war over Suryadevara's repatriation. As per the communication of Deputy Secretary (services) of the Delhi government, which was to be produced before the court on Tuesday, the current LG Anil Baijal had on March 20 refused to differ with the decision taken by his predecessor.

"Lieutenant Governor, Delhi, has considered the matter of repatriation and relieving of Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara and has decided that there is no reason to differ with the earlier decision taken and issued vide order dated August 29, 2016 of services department, government of NCT of Delhi and reiterated the same," the March 20 order said.

The order of LG's office was produced against the backdrop of the high court's earlier direction, which had left it to the incumbent LG to decide whether or not to review the order relieving Suryadevara.

It had decided to await the LG's decision as talks between Speaker Goel and the Director General of All India Radio failed to break the impasse. The meeting was held following the court's suggestion to find an "amicable solution" to the issue.