Ruckus in Himachal assembly over chief secretary’s transfer

Opposition Congress walks out, demanding to know what forced the government to change the chief secretary for the sixth time

Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Himachal Pradesh assembly on Thursday as the opposition Congress protested the removal of chief secretary Anil Khachi and walked out of the House when it was told that the appointment of officials was the prerogative of the government.

Outgoing Himachal Pradesh chief secretary Anil Khachi has been appointed as the state election commissioner with immediate effect. (Right) Ram Subhag Sharma succeeds him as the new chief secretary. (HT file photo)

As soon as question hour ended, leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri raised a point of order, seeking the clarification from the government. Referring to Khachi’s Himachali background, Agnihotri sought to know the circumstances that prompted the government to change the chief secretary.

Ram Subhag Singh is new chief secretary

Earlier in a notification on Thursday, the state government appointed Khachi, a 1986-batch IAS officer, as the state election commissioner with immediate effect.

Khachi was appointed the chief secretary in 2019.

Ram Subhag Singh, a 1987-batch IAS officer who was serving as additional chief secretary industries, transport and labour and employment, has been appointed the new chief secretary.

Raising the matter in the assembly, Agnihotri said that earlier another Himachali officer, VC Pharka, was the chief secretary but was removed by the Jai Ram Thakur government. He said Vineet Chawdhary and BK Agarwal also served on the post but were removed. “What is it that is forcing the government to change the chief secretary for the sixth time?” the Congress leader said.

In his reply, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said that the opposition is not to decide the appointments.

Appointments prerogative of govt: Speaker

Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar ruled that the issue can’t be raised in the House. “The appointment of officers is the sole prerogative of the government,” he said ruling that nothing would go on record.

At this, the Congress created a ruckus and walked out of the House.

Speaking on the issue after the opposition’s walkout, the chief minister said that this issue could not be raised in the assembly and the House does not decide whom to appoint.

Thakur said that the government had followed the due process in shifting the officer.

He criticised Agnihotri for categorising officers based on their domicile. He said sorting the officers as those from the state and those from outside the state was wide off the mark. “Officers belong to the country and contribute to the development of the state to the best of their capacity and capability,” he said.

Referring to the chief secretaries appointed as adviser during the previous Congress rule, the chief minister said Khachi has been appointed on a constitutional post where his tenure will be for five years and status equal to the High Court Judge. “If we look back, the Congress had appointed the chief secretary by ignoring the seniority of other officers,” he alleged.