Another bureaucratic appointment has triggered a face-off between Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung and the Delhi government.

The latest fracas is over giving additional charge of Director General (Prisons) to DG (Home Guards) J.K. Sharma, a 1982-batch IPS officer of the AGMUT cadre. The post had been lying vacant since February when former DG, Tihar, Alok Kumar Verma was appointed the Delhi Police Commissioner.

The Delhi Home Department on Tuesday issued a circular announcing Mr. Sharma’s appointment as DG (Prisons) till further orders. Within hours of the circular being issued, the Raj Bhavan declared it “non est” and “null” citing non-adherence to procedure, said a source close to the L-G.

The development took place on a day when the Supreme Court declined to hear a Delhi government petition urging it to issue directions to the High Court to set up a larger Bench to clarify the powers of the Centre, the Lieutenant-Governor and the Delhi Cabinet with regard to the administration of the Capital.

“As per the GNCTD Act, the L-G must approve the appointment of an IPS officer to any post in the Capital. This was, however, overlooked by the Home Department in this case,” said a senior official from the L-G’s office.