Delhi Confidential: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to defend Congress-ruled state in Supreme Court

Welcome to Delhi Confidential, your inside track to the power corridors of the capital. Today: From political rivals aligning in a legal clash over bike taxis to mid-career forest officers being asked to critically evaluate the apex tiger conservation body.

1. 01

   Role Reversal

   IN AN interesting lineup before the Supreme Court, a challenge to Karnataka’s ban on bike taxis will see the Centre’s top law officer Solicitor General Tushar Mehta defending the Congress-ruled state. On the other side of the aisle, opposing the state’s ban is Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi, who graciously said he had no objection to Mehta appearing for the state. The Supreme Court is likely to hear the case on November 16.

2. 02

   Unique Task

   PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING a mid-career training programme for Indian Forest Officers at the Environment Ministry earlier this month were stumped by a peculiar exercise handed out by a senior official. The participating officers, with seven to nine years of experience, were asked to identify and suggest improvements in the functioning of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which oversees the implementation of ‘Project Tiger’. The senior official explained, it is learnt, that it is better to have criticism from within to improve administration, as IFS officers from different states often interact with the NTCA. The participants were asked to submit suggestions by the end of the training programme in early November.

3. 03

   In, Out

   THE DELHI Jal Board (DJB) CEO post is vacant again — third time during the one-and-a-half years of the Rekha Gupta government. In May last year, Kaushal Raj Sharma, a UP-cadre IAS officer, was given the charge, only to be transferred in April this year. After him, the additional charge of Delhi Jal Board CEO was given to Vijay Kumar Bidhuri for about two months. In June, 1995-batch IAS officer Sajjan Singh Yadav was appointed to the post. The post fell vacant again last week after Yadav was transferred as Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir.