Officers Using CM’s Order as an Excuse, Not Answering Legislators’ Calls – Sanjeev Jha

• CM has ordered that legislators and ministers must obtain the Chief Secretary’s permission to summon a DM or SDM to a meeting – Sanjeev Jha
• The bureaucracy is always waiting for excuses to block the work of elected representatives – Sanjeev Jha
• This order is contempt of the House; the Speaker should direct the government to withdraw it immediately – Sanjeev Jha

New Delhi, Aug 2025 – Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha on Thursday raised in the Assembly the issue of officers not answering phone calls from legislators. He said he had been calling a District Magistrate, but the officer was not taking his calls. Many such officers, Jha alleged, are now using an order issued by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as an excuse – an order that states that if any legislator or minister wants to summon a DM (District Magistrate) or SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate), they must first obtain permission from the Chief Secretary.

Calling the directive completely wrong, Jha said the bureaucracy is always on the lookout for ways to obstruct the work of elected representatives. “This order also amounts to contempt of the House. Therefore, I appeal to the Speaker to instruct the government to withdraw it immediately,” he said.

On the fourth day of the Delhi Assembly’s monsoon session, Jha reiterated that the CM’s order applies not just to opposition or ruling party MLAs, but also to ministers. “This is a matter concerning the dignity of the entire House,” he said. “I have already submitted a notice of breach of privilege in this regard and I expect the Speaker to accept it.”

Jha warned that if the executive starts controlling the legislature in this manner, the very definition of democracy will be destroyed. Appealing directly to the Speaker, he said: “Only you can protect us. The responsibility and duty to safeguard the dignity of this House lies with you. Such an order is an affront to the Assembly, and if it is an affront to the House, it is also an affront to the Chair.”

He further said that any order attempting to undermine the legislature is essentially an insult to the people’s will, because in a democracy it is the people who are supreme. “Insulting the people’s will is tantamount to insulting the Constitution. The bureaucracy is always waiting for ways to hinder the work of elected representatives. This CM’s order has now given DMs and SDMs a ready-made excuse to avoid taking calls – as is happening in my own case. The CM’s order is wrong, and the government should withdraw it immediately,” he said.