The Madhya Pradesh government has come under attack from civil society for allegedly bypassing rules in the appointment of electoral officer for State cooperatives.
According to documents accessed under RTI by social activist Ajay Dubey, the name of Prabhat Kumar Parashar, who has been chosen for the post, did not figure in the list of 44 names of retired IAS officers sent to the three-member screening committee headed by Chief Secretary R Parasuram.
The State Cooperatives Department had in March sought the names of retired IAS officers, who have served on the post of Secretary and above, for appointment as electoral officer, from the General Administration department.The names were accordingly sent to the screening panel.
Although Parashar himself and the government denied any violation of rules, it appears that Parashar’s name was okayed on the basis of a self-written letter recommending his name.“I have come to know about the appointment of State cooperatives electoral officer. I am putting forth my name for the post. After selection of my name for the post, I am willing to take voluntary retirement from the service,” Parashar, who was a serving IAS officer then, wrote to the Chief Secretary on May 29.
Accordingly, his name was included in the list of officers recommended for the post. After due scrutiny, the screening committee shortlisted retired IAS officers, S D Agrawal and Hiralal Trivedi and Parashar, who was then serving as Secretary in General Administration department.Parashar, after his name was chosen for the post by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, had sought voluntary retirement from service with effect from June 20. The Chief Secretary being the cadre controlling authority approved Parashar’s retirement and also relaxed the three months’ notice period as mentioned in death-cum-retirement benefit rules, 1968 for IAS officers.
Parashar’s voluntary retirement came into force from June 24. “It is sheer misuse of power. A serving IAS officer is recommending himself for the post on the plea that he would seek voluntary retirement. It shows collusion among officials,” alleged Dubey.
“I have already submitted a memorandum to Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav seeking his intervention. We will move court to challenge his appointment,” said the social activist, who has won national awards for his efforts to bring transparency in the system. Madhya Pradesh Minister for Public Health Engineering and Cooperatives, Gourishankar Bisen said Parashar was appointed as per the rules. “All rules have been followed in his appointment. There is no violation of rules. His name was considered after due process,” Bisen said.
However, Parashar said he agreed to the State government’s condition of voluntary retirement in case he was selected. “I was asked by the State government whether I would be willing to quit the service in case I am selected for the post. I applied for the post and got selected,” he claimed. Parashar said all rules had been followed by the State government. “I have experience in conducting elections of societies under the State. There is no violation of rules. Voluntary retirement has also been granted to me as per the procedure,” he said.