Atishi issues show-cause notice to DoE for 'defying' directive to halt transfer of teachers

NEW DELHI: Delhi Education Minister Atishi has issued a show-cause notice to the secretary of the education department and the Directorate of Education (DoE) for allegedly defying her directive to halt the transfer of 5,000 teachers.

The minister had ordered on July 1 that no teacher should be transferred solely because he has spent more than 10 years in a particular school.

In its notice, citing Article 239AA of the Constitution, Atishi has emphasised that the elected government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi holds executive powers over matters listed in the State List and the Concurrent List. The minister has asked the secretary of the education department and the DoE why they should not face action for violating Article 239AA by disobeying her orders.

Online requests for transfer of teaching staff

A circular was issued by the DoE on June 11, titled "Online requests for transfer of teaching staff of the Directorate of Education", wherein, vide Clause 16, it was directed that all teachers who have served for more than 10 years in the same school shall compulsorily apply for transfer, failing which they will be transferred to any school by the DoE. Atishi opposed the order on June 28.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi held a press conference at the party office here on Wednesday and vehemently criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its alleged attempts to dismantle Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's acclaimed education model in the capital.

Senior AAP leader and MLA Dilip Pandey pointed out that the ruling BJP at the Centre and the lieutenant governor (LG) are orchestrating the transfer of more than 5,000 teachers from Delhi government schools in a bid to cripple the city's education system. Pandey said Delhi's teachers are now being thrown into the political furnace of the BJP's arrogance.