Vinai Kumar Saxena appointed as Delhi's new lieutenant governor

Vinai Kumar Saxena, presently the chief of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)

President Ram Nath Kovind has accepted Anil Baijal's resignation and appointed Vinai Kumar Saxena as the next lieutenant governor of Delhi, the Rashtrapati Bhawan announced on May 23.

The appointment comes days after Delhi's incumbent LG Anil Baijal, who had been serving as the national capital's top administrator since December 2016, resigned citing "personal reasons".

President Ram Nath Kovind "has been pleased to appoint Vinai Kumar Saxena to be the Lt. Governor of National Capital Territory of Delhi with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office", the statement from Rashtrapati Bhawan said.

The President has accepted the resignation of incumbent L-G Anil Baijal, it said. Baijal had resigned on May 18.

READ | Delhi L-G Anil Baijal submits resignation to President: Sources

Baijal's successor, Saxena, is presently posted as chairperson of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). He was appointed as its chief in October 2015. The KVIC functions under the Ministry of Medium, Small and Micro Enterprise, and is responsible for generating employment opportunities in rural areas through implementing khadi and village industry programmes.

Prior to the posting at KVIC, Saxena, 64 was the founder-president of the National Council for Civil Liberties, which has carried out extensive relief work in the earthquake-affected areas of Gujarat. Saxena has also been  Director of the Dholer Port Project with JK Group.

Born on March 23, 1958, Saxena is an alumnus of Kanpur University with a pilot's licence. On March 5, 2021, he was appointed as one of the members of the national committee to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India's Independence.

दिल्ली के नवनियुक्त उपराज्यपाल महोदय श्री विनय कुमार सक्सेना जी का दिल्ली की जनता की तरफ़ से मैं हार्दिक स्वागत करता हूं। दिल्ली की बेहतरी के लिए उन्हें दिल्ली सरकार के मंत्रिमंडल की तरफ़ से पूर्ण सहयोग मिलेगा।

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— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 23, 2022

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal welcomed the new L-G. The occupant of L-G's post, in the national capital, has come in the cross-fire between the Delhi-ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Centre-ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the past eight years.

The AAP has accused Baijal and his predecessor, Najeeb Jung, of acting at the behest of the Centre to obstruct the schemes of the "elected Delhi government".

The tussle had reached the Supreme Court in 2018, which had led to the apex judiciary issuing a landmark judgment that spelled out the powers of the L-G and the legislative assembly more clearly.