In a significant political move, the BJP-led Delhi government has revoked 177 appointments made by the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration across various boards, committees, and constitutional bodies in the capital.

The decision, which affects appointments in 17 key institutions, was announced through an official order on Wednesday. The institutions impacted include the Delhi Jal Board, Animal Welfare Board, Delhi Haj Committee, Pilgrimage Development Committee, Urs Committee, Hindi Academy, Urdu Academy, Sahitya Kala Parishad, Punjabi Academy, and Sanskrit Academy, among others.Most of the individuals whose appointments were cancelled were associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, including current and former MLAs as well as party office bearers.

According to sources in the Delhi government, these positions were allegedly filled on political grounds by the previous AAP administration to benefit party affiliates. The BJP government has described the move as a necessary step to maintain the neutrality and integrity of public institutions.

Among the notable appointments that have now been nullified are AAP MLA Pawan Rana as Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board, AAP MLA Vinay Mishra as Vice-Chairman, and Preeti Tomar, wife of AAP leader Jitendra Tomar, as a board member. Former AAP MLAs Abdul Rehman and Haji Yunus were serving as members of the Delhi Haj Committee, while AAP MLA Jarnail Singh held the post of Vice-Chairman of the Punjabi Academy. Gopal Rai had been appointed as Chairman of the Agriculture Marketing Board, with Adil Ahmed Khan and Ajesh Yadav serving as board members.

The Delhi government justified the revocation by stating that the previous administration had made politically motivated appointments that compromised institutional impartiality. “The purpose behind these appointments was to provide undue advantage to party leaders,” said the source.