Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has terminated the services of around 400 'specialists' appointed by the Arvind Kejriwal government in different departments citing alleged irregularities in recruitment, a decision dubbed as "unconstitutional" by the AAP dispensation which plans to challenge it in court.

The terminated persons were engaged in a "non-transparent manner" and without the mandatory approvals of the competent authority. Several of them did not even fulfil the educational and work eligibility criteria as laid down in the advertisements issued for the recruitment on the posts, the LG office said in a statement.

The move triggered a fresh round of confrontation between the ruling party and the lieutenant governor. In a statement, the Aam Aadmi Party said that the LG has no power to take such action and accused him of trying to paralyse the Delhi government.

The LG office said the appointments also did not follow the mandatory reservation policy for SC, ST and OBC candidates prescribed by the Department of Personnel and Training.

"Delhi LG, VK Saxena has agreed to the proposal of the Services department to immediately terminate the services of about 400 private persons engaged as Fellows/Associate Fellows/Advisors / Dy Advisors/Specialists/Senior Research Officers/Consultants, etc by Delhi government in its various departments and agencies," the LG office statement said.

The AAP government, however, claimed that due process was followed in the recruitment.

"No principles of natural justice were followed when the LG took this decision. Not even a single show cause notice was issued, no explanation or clarification was sought at any stage. This unconstitutional decision will be challenged before the court of law," it said.

The hired fellows were from top colleges and universities such as IIM Ahmedabad, Delhi School of Economics, NALSAR, JNU, NIT, London School of Economics, Cambridge etc. and were doing excellent work in various departments, it said.

"They were all hired following due process and administrative norms," it claimed.

In its statement, the LG office charged that administrative departments concerned also "did not verify" the veracity of work experience certificates submitted by these private persons, which were found to be "fudged and manipulated" in many cases.

The LG accepted the proposal of the Services department that all Delhi government departments, Corporations, Boards, Societies and other autonomous bodies will immediately terminate the engagement of these private persons which was done without seeking approval of the Lt Governor who is the competent authority in the matter, the statement said. -- PTI