Anguished over unspecific response from Delhi Chief Secretary over transfer and postings, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has made it clear to the States with Arunachal, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre that its decision on the transfer and posting of the IAS/IPS officers should be construed as the last word.
Officers who have been transferred out will have to report to their designated States and Union Territories. In the recent joint cadre authority (JCA) meeting, the MHA took a stand about certain officers whom States/UTs did not want to relieve. The MHA has made it clear to Delhi Chief Secretary KK Sharma to seek specific directions/instructions from the Government and then come out with pointed response to all queries raised at the meeting. The Ministry was upset over the manner officials of AGMUT cadre are using every trick in the book to stay put in the national Capital.
Top officials told The Pioneer that this was the first time that JCA meeting lasted for over five hours. “The Ministry has raised eyebrows on the callous attitude of Delhi Government and cadre management wherein IAS/IPS officers sent outside for three-year tenure. There are over a dozen odd officials who have completed their tenure and at the same time at least several others serving with the Government are expected to proceed for assignment outside Delhi but for reasons best known to the Government, the State Government is not willing to release its handpicked officials serving in key posts,” said officials. Therefore, the MHA has conveyed its anguish to the Delhi Chief Secretary that he should come out with a specific response/stand of the Government.
In fact, the Delhi Chief Secretary was reportedly unable to specify certain queries raised during the JAC meeting regarding the failure to release some officials outside Delhi despite transfer orders were issued in November 2014.
For instance, JCA had issued transfer order of SCl Das (1992) and Arun Baroka (1990) to Andaman & Nicobar while SS Yadav (1995) to Puduchery on November 24, 2014. This order is yet to be implemented as all the three officials are serving with the State Government. Similarly, Rajendra Kumar (1991), who is secretary to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Ajay Choudhury (1996) , and OSD to lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung cannot be transferred.
Besides, the case of Shakuntla Gamlin is unique. Gamlin, Principal Secretary (Power), a 1984 batch IAS officer with the Delhi Government, is one such person who has been serving with the Delhi administration for the last 20 years since 1994 and whenever a tough posting came up, she managed to go on Central deputation and worm her way back to the Delhi Government after completing her tenure at the Centre.
She was on Central deputation twice, the first time for five years after May 1999 and the second time for six years from April 2008. Between 2004 and 2008, she served as Secretary (Services) in the Delhi Government. On April 2, 2008, she again went on Central deputation and joined the Ministry of Health. She returned to the Delhi administration in April this year and is currently the Principal Secretary (Power).
SCl Das, a 1992 batch officer, who is currently holding the charge of Secretary (Health) in Delhi Government, has been in Delhi since 2000. Das had served on Central deputation between 2005 and September 21, 2012. Between March 25, 2008 and September 22, 2008, Das served as a Director in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). He joined Delhi Government on September 22, 2012.
A 1990 batch IAS officer Arun Baroka is currently Secretary (PWD). Baroka is in Delhi since June 13, 2000. He went on Central deputation on September 5, 2005 and joined as Director in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. He remained on Central deputation till January 4, 2013. Some of the other flouters of norms are Secretary (Environment & Forests) Sanjiv Kumar, a 1992 batch officer, who has been in Delhi since 2002. The Ministry of Home Affairs had issued a transfer order last year but he was retained by lieutenant Governor.
It may be noted that 10 DANICS officials promoted to IAS cadre, has been transferred outside of Delhi within the same day they were elevated to IAS.
Despite the rules that IAS officers of the AGMUT cadre have to serve one-third of their tenure outside the Capital, around 14 top IAS officers have been serving here for periods ranging between 10 to 20 years. They have managed to halt their transfers through their political mentors or delayed their posting outside the Capital by manipulating senior bureaucrats at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on personal or medical grounds.
In toto, an AGMUT cadre officer has to serve 14 years outside Delhi. Also, a super-time IAS officer can go on Central deputation for five years. The Central Government can extend the deputation as per requirement but they have to serve their requisite hard postings.
“To complete all the soft and hard postings outside Delhi, an IAS officer needs to be transferred after every four to five years of continuous service in Delhi. The officer should not stay in Delhi for more than six years of continuous service,” said a senior IAS officer.