IAS OFFICERS’ TRANSFER PLAN
The civil services board will have to record in writing the reasons for transferring officers
CHANDIGARH : After a wait of six years, the Punjab government has adopted fixed tenure rules for civil servants in the state, laying down guidelines for transfers and postings. The state, which had at least twice declined to adopt the fixed tenure rules for IAS officers in the past, has come out with a detailed notification on procedure for postings.
CHANDIGARH : After a wait of six years, the Punjab government has adopted fixed tenure rules for civil servants in the state, laying down guidelines for transfers and postings.
The state, which had at least twice declined to adopt the fixed tenure rules for IAS officers in the past, has come out with a detailed notification on the procedure for postings and transfers following the rules notified by the central government in 2014, giving them a two-year minimum tenure in a post.
The state personnel department, while setting up a threemember civil services board (CSB) under the chief secretary on June 2 for making recommendations for postings of cadre officers, stipulated that it (board) will examine and consider the cases of officers who are proposed to be
transferred before completion of fixed tenure.
“The civil services board will be required to record in writing the reasons for transferring officers before they complete the fixed tenure,” said a senior IAS officer who did not wish to be identified.
The CSB will seek detailed justification from the personnel department for the transfer of an
IAS officer and consider the report of the administrative department along with other inputs it may have from other reliable sources. The board will also obtain the comments or views of the officer proposed to be transferred and will not make recommendations for transfer unless it has satisfied itself of the reasons for such premature transfer, reads the notification through which the board was constituted.
The competent authority (read chief minister) will, however, make the final decision on its (board’s) recommendations. The Union ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions had, through the IAS (Cadre) Amendment Rules notified on January 28, 2014, prescribed the two-year minimum tenure for cadre and ex-cadre posts, except in the event of promotion, retirement, deputation outside the state or training exceeding two years, to check political interference.
In October 2013, the Supreme Court had also mandated minimum tenure for bureaucrats.
Punjab, which has an authorised IAS cadre strength of 231, is the 20th state to adopt these rules. The civil services board comprises the chief secretary as chairman, senior-most additional chief secretary as member and secretary, personnel, as member secretary. Like other states, postings and transfers of IAS officers in Punjab have been dictated by the political top brass hitherto.
The effectiveness of these new guidelines in ensuring the stability of tenure and curbing political interference will depend on the sincerity with which the laid down procedure is followed.
In neighbouring Haryana, one of the first few states to notify the fixed tenure for all cadre posts (except chief secretary) and set up CSB in 2014, the state government was quick to sidestep the rules and reduce the procedure to a mere formality.
The state authorities have been routinely transferring officers before the completion of minimum tenure, citing reasons such as “public interest” and administrative exigencies”. And, the public interest involved in the transfer is rarely spelled out.