Serious differences have reportedly erupted between some IAS and Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) officers over the transfer and posting issue during the ongoing controversy between bureaucrats and elected AAP Government in the national Capital.
DANICS officials are eying plum postings at the cost of IAS officers, who feel are on the wrong side of Arvind Kejriwal Government. The ongoing battle has seen a vertical split between IAS and DANICS officers. Reports suggest that the Government was keen to promote some DANICS officers to key cadre positions by bypassing senior IAS officers. DANICS officers as per rule expect to become IAS after eight years of service but they secure this position only after 15-16 years of service. This deprives them the prime position in Delhi Government like VAT Commissioner, Excise Commissioner and dozens of similar positions.
Therefore, when the battle has reached the boiling point between IAS Association and Delhi Government, majority of DANICS officials chose to back Kejriwal. According to sources, several DANICS officials constantly affirmed their support to Kejriwal. The Kejriwal Government has been able to prevail upon DANICS officials to augment their cause or issues of their choice. This cannot be a case of top IAS officials who are seasoned in their role and firmly stick to the rulebook.
A senior official said that the senior bureaucrats were reportedly angry over the way the Chief Minister had issued show cause notice to his Chief Secretary KK Sharma to explain why certain files were not routed through his office. “This is perhaps the first occasion when the Chief Secretary has been issued such a notice by his Chief Minister.
The bureaucrats are demoralised as there is a sense of insecurity prevailing in the Delhi Secretariat.” There is a feeling in a section of senior bureaucrats that some DANICS officers had not been giving “correct” advise to the Cabinet Ministers over the transaction of business rules which had ultimately resulted in a show down between the Chief Minister and the lieutenant Governor.
“Some DANICS officers want cadre postings. That’s precisely why they are putting correct facts before the Cabinet Ministers,” another senior official said. When asked, a senior DANICS officer said on the condition of anonymity that they have never supported/endorsed the Government decision to lock the office room of senior IAS officer Anindo Majumdar and character assassination of acting Chief Secretary Shakuntala Gamlin from public meeting.