Centre seeks report on appointments of IPS/IFS officers on IAS cadre posts

The appointments of IPS/IFS/IRS officers on the cadre-posts meant for IAS officers in Haryana has led the Union government to issue a scathing letter to state government and seeking a “detailed report” on such appointments.

Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training has also sought comments of the state government on all such appointments that were allegedly made in contravention of the All India Services (Cadre) Rules, 1954.

The Centre has sought the report after Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka flagged the issue. When he failed to get any response on two representations filed with the state government, he raised the matter with the Union government. Finding prima facie merit in the assertions made by Khemka in his two representations (December 9, 2020 and November 3, 2020 — marked to state government earlier) that he flagged to Union government, the DoPT has now asked state government to “strictly adhere” to the IAS Cadre Rules while appointing officers.

“On perusal of the above representations, it would appear that certain non-cadre officers have been posted on the cadre posts by the state government of Haryana, without obtaining the prior approval of this Department in violation of Rule 9 of AIS (Cadre) Rules. Accordingly, state government is requested to submit detailed comments on the issues raised in the representation of Shri Khemka, along with a detailed report on posting of non-cadre officers on cadre posts in Haryana to this Department. Further, the Government of Haryana is requested to ensure strict compliance to IAS Cadre Rules, 1954 making postings/ transfers/ appointment of officers in Haryana,” the Union government wrote to state government recently.

Sources disclosed that the state government was in process of formulating a detailed report on the matter and will soon be sending it to the DoPT.

Khemka, in his representations had raised the issue of appointments of multiple IPS/IFS/IRS officers who were appointed by state government on cadre posts meant for IAS officers. He cited examples of officers including, O P Singh (1992-batch IPS officer), Alok Verma (1989-batch IFS officer), Yogender Chaudhry (1989-batch IRS officer), Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor (1990-batch IPS officer) — appointed as Principal Secretaries to the government. Similarly, Hanif Qureshi (1996 batch IPS officer) and Amitabh Singh Dhillon (1997 batch IPS officer) were too appointed in New and Renewable Energy and Mines and Geology departments, respectively.

Some of these officers continue to be on cadre posts meant for IAS officers.

“The IPS/IFS officers posted on IAS cadre posts were not found suitable by the government occupy their own cadre-posts. By posting non-suitable IPS/IFS officers on the IAS cadre posts, the IAS officers face a double jeopardy. Some cadre IAS officers remain grossly under-utilized, with not more than an average of a few hours’ workload during the day. Secondly, the promotional avenues within the IAS are also blocked when surplus officers from other cadres are appointed on the IAS cadre posts,” Khemka had written in his representation.