BY ORDERING posting of two Provincial Civil Service (PCS) officers as district magistrate, the State Government may have pleased the UP PCS Association and kept a promise it made in its manifesto.
But it has at the same time upset the Uttar Pradesh IAS Association and disregarded directives from Centre against its move — something which may well leave the Mulayam government counting its gains and pains in days to come..
The State Government on Sunday issued orders posting two PCS officers Atul Kumar and Ajay Agarwal as district magistrates of Shravasti and Hathras respectively, leaving the UP IAS Association sulking and look for ways to stall the move.
Terming the move illegal and against the provisions of the All India Service Rules, it is now exploring various options, including seeking central intervention on the issue.
The association feels an intervention by the Centre may force the State Government to withdraw its orders. The second option would be to challenge the State Government order before the High Court or Supreme Court, say IAS officers.
The association obviously has a strong point if viewed in the backdrop of the All India Service Rules. A letter that the Union additional secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, Brahm Dutt had sent to the then chief secretary R Ramani vide DO No.-11033/01/2006 on March 24, 2006 may prove handy in their case.
{{/usCountry}}The association obviously has a strong point if viewed in the backdrop of the All India Service Rules. A letter that the Union additional secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, Brahm Dutt had sent to the then chief secretary R Ramani vide DO No.-11033/01/2006 on March 24, 2006 may prove handy in their case.
{{/usCountry}}Dutt in his letter to the State Government had said, “It needs to be mentioned that any action by the State Government in posting non-cadre officers to the cadre posts of IAS, being in violation of the IAS cadre rules would be patently contrary to provisions of law.”
The association is obviously banking on Dutt’s observation on the issue.
As young IAS officers are strongly opposed to the move, they could be on Monday seen holding meetings with their colleagues.
Many of them posted in districts contacted their colleagues over telephone in an obvious bid to know about the steps that the association may be contemplating against the State Government’s move.
Association secretary Sanjay Bhus Reddy also got some calls with officers urging him to decide a future course of action.
Some officers have even lodged their protest with chief secretary Naveen Chand Bajpai. What has particularly pained the association is the hurry shown by the government in the matter, showing scant regard to its strong protest against the CM’s announcement in this regard at the PCS association’s annual convention recently.
Meanwhile the Uttar Pradesh PCS Association has welcomed the State Government’s move and said it was within the provisions of law. President of the association
Hardev Singh on Monday said the PCS Association has already convened a meeting of its executive committee on Tuesday to discuss the issues concerning members of the cadre. The State Government’s move would help in removing the confusion and bring officers out of the complex, he said.