New Delhi, May 20 (IANS): Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung's office on Wednesday issued a statement saying the lt. governor alone was competent to approve transfer and posting of principal secretary or secretary-level officers.

The statement was issued hours after the Jung wrote to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cancelling all transfers and postings by the city government in the past four days.

The statement said the orders and communication sent by the Delhi government to the lt. governor's office have tended to "obfuscate the special position that Delhi has, as the national capital, which is significantly different from other states".

"Delhi is a union territory with a legislative assembly and not a state and therefore has important points of distinction," the statement said.

It said the orders issued by the Delhi government were fundamentally "at variance with the constitution since service matters were assigned to the lt. governor under the powers delegated to him by the president".