SC Allows Centre To Extend Delhi Chief Secretary's Tenure by 6 Months

The Supreme Court upheld the Centre's decision to extend Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar's tenure by six months on Wednesday. The current Delhi Chief Secretary's tenure was scheduled to end on November 30. During the hearing, the Supreme Court stated that the Centre's decision was "not in violation of the constitutionally mandated distribution of powers".

The top court noted that the Centre has the authority to extend the tenure of the Chief Secretary, who deals with police, land, and public order issues that are beyond the purview of the Delhi government, according to news agency PTI.

The court also stated that the decision was based on a "prima facie view" and that the five-judge constitution bench would evaluate the legal and constitutional principles.

The development comes a day after the Centre informed the Supreme Court that it intends to extend Naresh Kumar's tenure for a limited time. The Supreme Court then asked the Solicitor General, who was representing the Centre, what provisions the government intended to invoke.

"We intend to extend the tenure of the current Chief Secretary until a new appointment is made," the Solicitor General told a three-judge bench.

The bench then asked the Solicitor General, "Under what authority are you extending the Chief Secretary's tenure? Bring that law to us. Alternatively, you can schedule a new appointment." However, the Solicitor General informed the bench that the extension was only temporary and that a new appointment would be made.

The Centre was given until Wednesday to provide reasons why it wanted to extend Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar's tenure by six months. 

The Supreme Court directed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the centre's representative in the city, to sit down and amicably discuss a shortlist of candidates to be provided by the union government last week, amid squabbles between both sides.