New Delhi: The Supreme Court directed the Delhi government and the Centre to engage in discussions regarding the shortlisting of candidates for the Chief Secretary of the national capital. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, urged both parties to share the names of candidates before the central government provides the shortlisted ones on Tuesday.

The court made this statement while hearing a plea from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government against the Centre for extending the tenure of the current Delhi Chief Secretary, Naresh Kumar, or appointing a new official. During the hearing, the bench requested the central government to recommend a list of three names, allowing the Delhi government to choose from that list. The three names will be shared after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, discusses them internally.

"Give us a workable solution. The government should work without the need to go to court. Give us a way out. One option could be to give us three names. Why don't LG (VK Saxena) and CM (Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal) meet and decide (the) Delhi Chief Secretary row?" the bench suggested. Senior Advocate Harish Salve, representing Saxena, agreed with the top court's suggestion but requested that the candidates' names should not be made public.

Agreeing to Salve's request, CJI Chandrachud said, "You cannot reveal the name as this causes serious harm to the reputation of the person who is not selected." The ruling AAP government has made several allegations against Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, including involvement in a multi-crore 'hospital scam.' Previously, the party accused Kumar of a Rs 850-crore land compensation scam linked to the Dwarka Expressway project.

Last week, AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sent the Vigilance Department's report against the Chief Secretary in connection with the 'hospital scam' to VK Saxena. Kejriwal has also demanded Kumar's removal due to allegations of his involvement in the scam.

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