Was that deliberate act or plain negligence in not sending Delhi Commission for Women file to the lieutenent governor? However, as the courts are busy hearing cases relating to division of power in the administration of Delhi, the national capital's lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung on Wednesday emphatically declared that his office is the government of Delhi.

In a letter sent to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the LG's office says the "constitutionally valid and consistent definition of 'government' is the lieutenant governor". The letter has been issued in the context of appointment of the new head of the Delhi Commission for Women.

Jung has told Kejriwal that the chief minister cannot appoint the DCW head without his (LG’s) sanction.

The letter bomb of a sort will surely blow into another battle for Delhi. It refers to precedents in the appointment of DCW chiefs in the past, but makes no mention of the elected Delhi government. The two had locked horns earlier on the appointment of officers in the Anti-Corruption Branch and over Jung's powers to appoint key officers.

Swati Maliwal, 30, the wife of Aam Aadmi Party leader Navin Jaihind, was appointed by Kejriwal four days ago. She took charge on Monday and had said earlier today about her appointment being cancelled, "I have no official communication so I can't talk about it. I am doing my work. The Delhi Government has appointed me and if the Delhi Government takes back the appointment, I will abide by it."

However, she said “I think this is a minor technical glitch because what is being said is that the file (my appointment) was not sent to LG’s office. I think it will get resolved. It is not a very major issue.”

Maliwal replaced Barkha Singh, a member of the Congress, whose term ended this month. Swati was advisor to the chief minister on public grievances and handled Kejriwal’s public interaction. AAP has rejected allegations of nepotism made by the BJP and the Congress, saying its government picked the person best suited for the job.

Kejriwal accuses the BJP-led central government of trying to scuttle his efforts at governing Delhi after his AAP wiped the rival party out in the February Assembly elections.