E-Paper
Ludhiana: PSPCL bans transfers, staffers ‘harassed’
According to a notification issued on June 1, 2025, PSPCL has imposed a complete ban on the transfers and postings of non-gazetted employees across the state until September 30, 2025
The staff-strapped Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has imposed a blanket ban on all transfers and postings of employees across the state till September 30, citing the ongoing paddy season and the need to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
However, the move has drawn widespread flak from employees, many of whom call it a case of “administrative overreach” and “harassment of the overburdened staff.” They further noted that while such seasonal bans are imposed every year, but rather than addressing the root cause, an alarming shortage of technical and field staff, the corporation has kept opt to clamp down on internal mobility, further straining an already overburdened workforce.
According to a notification issued on June 1, 2025, PSPCL has imposed a complete ban on the transfers and postings of non-gazetted employees across the state until September 30, 2025. The decision aims to ensure uninterrupted power supply and operational efficiency during the peak agricultural season, when electricity demand surges, especially in rural areas.
The notification states that, as in previous years, no transfers or postings of non-gazetted staff will be permitted during this period unless deemed necessary on administrative grounds. Even in such cases, prior approval from the chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of PSPCL will be mandatory.
Medical emergencies caught in crossfire
The hardest hit are employees already mid-process in transfers or those seeking relocation due to medical or personal emergencies. A junior engineer posted in the City Centre division, voiced his plight stating, “I applied for a desk job transfer last month after being diagnosed with kidney issues. After filing for an application, the transfer was under process. But now everything is stuck till September. I am left to fend for myself with these health complications.”
Meanwhile, a senior PSPCL official noted that the corporation has chosen to tighten internal movement rather than resolve the root crisis, which is severe manpower shortage without timely recruitments. In Ludhiana alone, of 5,681 sanctioned posts, only 1,666 are currently filled. That means that nearly 71% of sanctioned posts lie vacant.
Among technical posts, the vacancies are staggering. Only 250 of 465 junior engineer posts are filled. Just 47 additional assistant engineers (AAEs) are serving against the sanctioned 76. The situation is dire among assistant linemen, where 2,178 out of 3,089 posts are lying vacant.
Hence, with such limited staff, it becomes extremes difficult to keep the operations afloat, leading to imposition of such ban. However, instead of ensuring regular recruitment on these posts to resolve this issue, such bans only bring harassment to already overstrained staff, with no incentives, officials said.
Transfer process mired in red tape
Even in exceptional cases, the transfer process is long and bureaucratic. Employees must submit formal requests citing medical or compassionate grounds, backed by supporting documents. The application then moves through departmental scrutiny and finally requires CMD approval. Without this final sign-off, any transfer is considered invalid, officials said.
Even in other cases, transfers are far from guaranteed. For instance, in substations where only one Junior Engineer (JE) is posted and the other positions remain vacant, transfer approvals are practically impossible. In addition, staff members often have to rely on their seniors or supervisors to initiate transfer requests, making the process tedious and uncertain, officials pointed out.
When approached for comments, Ajoy Kumar Sinha, CMD of PSPCL, declined to make any remarks, instead passing the buck to the personnel and distribution wings after claiming lack of knowledge about the transfer ban’s specifics.
