The State Government has finally sanctioned on Tuesday a day's salary of 1984 batch IAS RK Singh, who had stayed away from the State's service for years much more than the stipulated five year at a stretch that an IAS is entitled as per the rules. The legalisation of his service through the significant order of the State Government has created flutters in the State bureaucracy, fuelling speculation on the State Government's intention behind the reinstatement move.
Notably, he had been on leave since August 1996. later, he joined Uttarakhand on July 17, 2001 and sought earned leave from July 18 to December 31, 2001.
The significance of the matter lies in the fact that the Uttarakhand Government has accepted him as Uttarakhand cadre IAS officer through the order, say the observers.
As per the rule, no IAS officer can take more than five years' leave at a stretch. Notably, RK Singh had gone on leave in 1996. Uttarakhand came into being on November 2000. During the inception of the State, Singh was allotted to Uttarakhand cadre and subsequently, he joined the State on July 17, 2001. later, he sought earned leave till December 31, 2001, starting from July 18.
As things stood, his leave for five years was valid till July 17, 2006. However, he chose to stay away after his leave was over only to appear in the State when Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank was the Chief Minister. He was subsequently appointed as the adviser to the CM in Education Department.
The State Government having legitimised his service through the order of sanctioning his one day's leave, things are tricky in the bureaucracy. As is known, the incumbent Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh is set to retire by December 2016. Now it is likely that Singh, being the seniormost officer, belonging to the 1986 batch, would be appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the State. However, there is a rider. Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) must accept his service. As per the record, Singh is slated to retire in 2021 and so he has a long innings to play still if his chips are up.
Sources say that the decks of the reinstatement of Singh have been cleared at the behest of a senior bureaucrat who happens to be inimical to one of the three 1986 batch IAS officers whose prospect to become the next CS is deemed to be bright.
The final turn of things resting with the DoPT, questions are being raised as to who had sanctioned his leave between July 18 and December 31, 2001. Things are still shrouded in mystery as to who have been pulling the strings over the matter over the years, said an IAS officer.