“We are facing this situation as Eknath Shinde failed to expand his cabinet more than a month after taking oath as CM. Instead of bureaucrats, I think all the powers should be delegated to the Chief Secretary We are in a democratic set up. MLAs have no power and no cabinet members. In such circumstances, bureaucrats have become more powerful than elected representatives,” Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said.
The General Administration Department, headed by Chief Secretary Manukumar Srivastava, had on Friday issued a brief order conferring quasi-judicial powers to bureaucrats. Reports say that bureaucrats have been delegated powers so that the common man does not suffer. Routine appeals against orders passed by field level officers cannot be disposed of by bureaucrats. Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat said, “He should immediately expand the cabinet so that there is no need to devolve powers to bureaucrats. We will not be surprised if Shinde renames the ministry as Secretariat- Secretariat.”
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said progressive state Maharashtra should not be run by secretaries. It is the misfortune of the state that even 36 days after Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister, he has not been able to form the cabinet, he said.
A statement issued by the CMO said that the bureaucrats have not been given any power of cabinet members and will only deal with quasi-judicial matters.