**Delhi High Court Directs PWD Officials to Approach Central Administrative Tribunal**
★The Delhi High Court has directed six Public Works Department (PWD) officials to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) to challenge show cause notices issued to them by the Delhi Government’s Vigilance department.
★The notices were issued to the officials over alleged violations of rules in the renovation work at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence.
★The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula, stated that the petitions filed by the officials before a single judge were not maintainable in light of a Supreme Court ruling.
★The bench disposed of an appeal by the Delhi Government challenging a previous order that prevented any coercive action against the PWD officials.
★The Delhi Government argued that the officials, being Central Government employees, should approach the CAT to challenge the disciplinary action.
★The bench observed that litigants cannot directly approach High Courts, even in cases questioning the validity of statutory legislations, without going through the relevant Tribunal.
★The bench clarified that it did not make any observations on the merits of the case, only on the maintainability of the Delhi Government’s appeal.
**Factual Background and Case before Single Judge**
★Earlier, on August 17, the court issued notice to the PWD officials and sought a response from the Delhi Government’s Vigilance and Public Works Department.
★The PWD and the Delhi Government’s Director of Vigilance submitted that no coercive steps would be taken against the officials until October 12.
★The officials then filed an application seeking to restrain the Delhi Government from ordering any departmental or criminal action against them, contrary to the court’s assurance.
★The officials argued that the show cause notices issued by the Vigilance department were unauthorized and that the department lacked jurisdiction to initiate disciplinary proceedings.
★They contended that as PWD officers, they were not subject to the Vigilance department’s jurisdiction in disciplinary matters.
★The officials claimed that the notices were a result of a “political tussle” between the Lieutenant Governor and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, and that they were being made scapegoats.
★They further stated that all the renovation work was carried out under the instructions of the PWD minister, and not for personal gain.
**Case Title: GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI & ANR. v. SH. ASHOK KUMAR RAJDEV & ORS**
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