Controversial Shift: Jagan shunts AP CS

Transfers LV Subrahmanyam as DG of HRDI

In a rare development that shook the Andhra Pradesh bureaucracy, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday removed chief secretary (CS) L.V. Subrahmanyam from the post. The incumbent, who in a dramatic turn of events took over as CS while the general elections were underway in April, has still got six months of service to go.

Mr Subrahmanyam had to pay the heavy unprecedented price for seeking an explanation from Praveen Prakash, principal secretary to Chief Minister, over certain violation of business rules by the latter.

Enraged by the action of the CS in questioning his principal secretary, the Chief Minister stood in support of his PS and choose to throw out the CS. Mr Subrahmanyam is a senior in service experience in the bureaucracy to Mr Prakash by at least 10 years.

In the meanwhile, chief commissioner of land administration, Neerab Kumar Prasad, was given the additional charge of the top bureaucratic post in the state.

This is only the second instance of an unceremonious exit of a chief secretary enforced by a political boss in the last two decades. The first time it happened was when Ananda Rao was ousted as the CS of combined Andhra Pradesh by the-then chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu

The Chief Secretary on Saturday issued a show cause notice to Mr Prakash for circulating files to the Cabinet without keeping him loop.

during the late 90s. All other chief secretaries but one other CS have completed their term and retired in the Telugu states.

Anil Chandra Punetha was, however, removed from his position by the Election Commission, which posted Mr Subrahmanyam in his place in April this year. Mr Punetha lost his job for filing a case against an EC decision to transfer a few police officials while the Election code was in force. Mr Subrahmanyam and Mr Prakash have been at loggerheads ever since the latter joined the CMO.

On Monday, Mr Prakash as incharge of GAD issued orders transferring the CS

Sources said that Mr Prakash was keen to handle general administration department (GAD), (political), a dream posting, when Mr Reddy invited him to join the CMO. Mr Prakash issued several orders and circulated files to the Cabinet without keeping the CS in the loop. The CS, in his notice, also referred to his junior, Prakash, withholding certain files and usurping powers in violation of business rules. On Saturday, the CS gave 15 days time period to Mr Prakash to reply to his show cause notice. But on Monday, Prakash, in his capacity as in-charge of GAD (political) issued orders showing the doors to Subrahmanyam, who was put in an insignificant post of director general, Human Resources Development Institute.