Consensus is a rare phenomenon in Indian politics. The manner in which the lieutenant governor of Delhi has locked horns with the chief minister over the appointment of an acting chief secretary has reiterated the regrettable lack of agreement between the holders of two important constitutional positions. The chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, has accused the lieutenant governor, Najeeb Jung, of constitutional impropriety by appointing a government official without the express approval of an elected government. In retaliation, Mr Kejriwal removed a senior bureaucrat, who had signed the letter of approval of the official appointed by Mr Jung. In his defence, Mr Jung has alleged that the chief minister's office sat on the file of short-listed candidates for 36 hours. This, in Mr Jung's opinion, caused considerable delay and left the administration rudderless at a time when the regular chief secretary was on leave. The imbroglio raises serious questions about the constitutional ambiguity surrounding the gubernatorial office. The Constitution makes it clear that the lieutenant governor can appoint an acting or officiating chief secretary only after holding consultations with the chief minister. But in a democracy, the office of the governor is apolitical by nature. It is a position, which, while being invested with prestige, lacks substantive powers. It is not without reason that the governor is expected to perform such ceremonial roles as administering the oath of office to the chief minister and his colleagues or inaugurating public events. Under no circumstances can the governor be seen to infringe upon the duties and the responsibilities that should ideally be the prerogative of the chief minister and his colleagues. This is not the first time that Mr Jung has chosen to cross swords with Mr Kejriwal since the latter was elected to office. The lieutenant governor's enthusiasm for repeated confrontations with the chief minister has made him vulnerable to charges of exceeding the limits of his authority.

The lieutenant governor's tug-of-war with the chief minister has also created unnecessary anxiety in the ranks of the bureaucracy, which serves as a vital link between the government and the people. This is likely to impair the quality of governance. Ironically, the crisis has presented the nation with one more opportunity to discuss the utility of ceremonial constitutional positions.