No Delhi civic body official to spend over 3 years in ‘sensitive’ departments

The officials said that the civic body will adopt a rotational transfer mechanism, and the new orders that were issued on July 27, will supersede previous policies and circulars issued by individual departments of the erstwhile south, north and east MCDs.

Officials posted in 14 departments of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will be transferred out after a maximum tenure of three years, and there will be a mandatory cooling off period before reposting, according to new rules issued by the civic body’s central establishment department, officials aware of the matter said.

In May, the Centre merged the three corporations which have been facing a crippling financial crisis and allegations of rampant corruption into a unified municipal body. (HT Archive)

The officials said that the civic body will adopt a rotational transfer mechanism, and the new orders that were issued on July 27, will supersede previous policies and circulars issued by individual departments of the erstwhile south, north and east MCDs.

In May, the Centre merged the three corporations which have been facing a crippling financial crisis and allegations of rampant corruption into a unified municipal body.

“Maximum tenure of an officer will be three years in a sensitive department whereas in the non-sensitive departments, the tenure will be five years which can be extended on the request of the incumbent. The cooling off period mandate will be of three years and in case an officer is posted on two or more sensitive posts, period of postings of such official at all of such sensitive posts would be combined for the purpose of calculation of three year tenure,” a policy issued by the central establishment department of MCD said.

Central Establishment Department (CED) works as the cadre controlling authority of all employees of Category A posts and various centralized posts of category B, C and D under the general Wing of MCD. From framing of recruitment regulations to transfer postings of administration, the CED essentially acts as director of personnel. The 14 sensitive departments identified by the department include finance/accounts, factory licensing, engineering, remunerative projects cell, advertisement, property tax assessment and collection, vigilance, land and estate among others.

A senior MCD official privy to the development said that the departments have been marked as sensitive as they are associated with economic, infrastructure and revenue related projects.

MCD has also initiated the process for identifying corrupt and non performing officers against whom action will be taken under the rules. “All the 12 zonal deputy commissioners and heads of departments have been directed to conduct internal reviews. The minutes of these internal review committees will be examined by the CED to recommend action under 56(J) of service rules,” an official who asked not to be named said. Last time, such an exercise was conducted in 2019, when 108 government officials were compulsorily retired from various government agencies, of these the maximum, 61, were municipal officials.

The new policy also mandates that transfer orders will have to be implemented within three working days failing which the officer will be automatically stand relieved. “In any cases, where the transfer is being carried out on non-performance or indiscipline, the controlling officer will have to initiate disciplinary action instead of just relieving them on administrative ground as was the practice earlier,” another senior official said.

Even in the 20 non-sensitive departments, such as horticulture, hospital administration, sanitation and education, the new policy mandates that officials involved in purchasing and tendering will have a maximum tenure of three years in the same post.

Former mayor North MCD mayor Jai Prakash said the rotation of postings was also there earlier, but it was not strictly followed. “The new policy is a good step but it should be followed stringently. As a first step, corporation should make a list of such official who are currently posted for long period and rotate them with immediate effect,” he added.

Former leader of the opposition in East MCD and ex-AAP councillor Manoj Tyagi said the new policy will have no effect unless they are implemented in letter and spirit. “We have officials who are deputed in sensitive departments even after serious corruption charges were levelled against them, and previous suspensions. New policies can only be meaningful if they are implemented sincerely. In our experience, we have seen that people pay for sensitive lucrative posts. The building department, house tax and public health department are especially notorious for corruption allegations,” Tyagi said.