Vij, CS against move to appoint IPS officer as transport secretary

The Centre had sought comments of Haryana government, as nine IPS, IFS and IRS officers have been appointed to cadre posts of IAS

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government’s move to appoint non-cadre officers to the cadre posts designated for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers is set to create a fresh storm with state home minister Anil Vij and chief secretary Vijai Vardhan raising objections on such appointments.

The central government had sought the comments of the Haryana government on the issue as nine Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Forests Service (IFS) and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers were appointed to the cadre posts of IAS by the state government.

The recent controversy comes in the backdrop of appointment of IPS officer Shatrujeet Kapoor as director general, state vigilance bureau on Thursday. The IPS officer, who was also holding the post of principal secretary, transport was relieved of the charge of transport department and the post had fallen vacant.

Even as the home department proposed the name of another IPS officer, Kala Ramachandran, for appointment as principal secretary, transport , Vij insisted that prior approval from the Centre should be obtained before appointing her to a cadre post of IAS.

While chief principal secretary to chief minister (CPSCM), DS Dhesi, okayed the proposal to appoint Ramachandran as principal secretary (transport) without taking approval from Centre, chief secretary Vijai objected to the move citing IAS Cadre Rules.

Vardhan is also learnt to have communicated that if the appointment of nine non-cadre officers (IPS, IFS and IRS) to the cadre posts of IAS has to continue, then the state government should seek mandatory approval of the central government or replace them with IAS officers.

Vij also held his ground stating that the IPS officers should not be relieved from the police department and posted to a cadre post of IAS officers till the department of personnel and training (DoPT) of central government grants approval.

Rule 9(2)(c) of the IAS Cadre Rules state that if a select list is not in force and it is proposed to appoint a non-select list officer, the state government shall forthwith make a proposal to that effect to the central government together with the reasons thereof and the appointment shall be made only with the prior approval of the central government.

The rules also state that a cadre post in a state shall not be filled by a person who is not a cadre officer except if there is no suitable cadre officer available for filling the vacancy.

Also, if it is proposed to continue the person who is not a cadre officer beyond a period of three months, the state government shall obtain the prior approval of the Centre.

STATE HAS TO SEEK MANDATORY CENTRAL NOD IF THE APPOINTMENT OF NINE NONCADRE OFFICERS TO CADRE POSTS OF IAS HAS TO CONTINUE, CHIEF SECY HAS SAID