177 appointments made by the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to different boards, committees, and constitutional bodies in the capital have been cancelled by the BJP-led Delhi government in a major political move.

An official order was issued on Wednesday to notify the decision, which has an impact on appointments at 17 important institutions. The following organisations are affected: Sahitya Kala Parishad, Punjabi Academy, Sanskrit Academy, Hindi Academy, Urdu Academy, Delhi Haj Committee, Delhi Jal Board, Animal Welfare Board, Pilgrimage Development Committee, Urs Committee, and others. The majority of those whose appointments were revoked were party office bearers and current and past MLAs who were affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party.

Sources in the Delhi government claim that the previous AAP government filled these posts for political reasons in order to help party members. According to the BJP administration, the action is essential to preserving the impartiality and integrity of public institutions.

AAP MLA Vinay Mishra as Vice-Chairman, AAP MLA Pawan Rana as Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board, and Preeti Tomar, wife of AAP politician Jitendra Tomar, as a board member are among the prominent appointments that have now been revoked. AAP MLA Jarnail Singh was the Vice-Chairman of the Punjabi Academy, while former AAP MLAs Abdul Rehman and Haji Yunus were on the Delhi Haj Committee. Adil Ahmed Khan and Ajesh Yadav are board members of the Agriculture Marketing Board, which was chaired by Gopal Rai.

In order to defend the revocation, the Delhi government claimed that the previous administration’s politically driven selections had weakened the neutrality of the organisation. The source said that these selections were made in order to give party leaders an unfair edge.