Delhi government today routed a file to enforce Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against agitating doctors, through Home Secretary Dharam Pal to the Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

The tussle over appointment of bureaucrats in the Delhi administration had worsened after the ruling AAP government recently repatriated Jung-appointed Pal for notifying the appointment of M K Meena as the chief of Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch, which was done on the orders of Jung.



The Union Home Ministry then told Delhi Chief Secretary K K Sharma to ensure that Pal continues as state Home Secretary.



However, the AAP government has been maintaining that Rajendra Kumar, who is Secretary to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, is Delhi's Home Secretary.



However, the Lt Governor's office refused to acknowledge any proposal if it came through Kumar.



"Government had to send file to LG Najeeb Jung through Home Secretary Dharam Pal to invoke ESMA against striking doctors after the LG's office refused to acknowledge any proposal to enforce ESMA if it came through Kumar," said a senior government official.



Resident doctors have been on strike for two days paralysing medical services across government hospitals in the national capital.



In view of this, the AAP government today invoked ESMA against agitating doctors.

