Centre warns employees of action if transfer requests come from ministers

The Centre has warned assistant section officers under the Central Secretariat Service cadre of disciplinary action in case transfer requests are forwarded from ministers and Members of Parliament.

The Centre has warned assistant section officers under the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) cadre of disciplinary action in case transfer requests are forwarded from ministers and Members of Parliament.

In an order, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said it has been receiving numerous inter-cadre transfer requests on personal/medical grounds to attached or outstation officers of various ministries in the grade of Assistant Section Officer (ASO) in the CSS cadre.

The CSS has been devised primarily to manage the middle level posts in the Central Secretariat, which is the headquarters of the Union government, housing the offices of the central ministries/departments mostly located in the national capital.

Many times, these requests of ASOs are being forwarded from honourable minister/Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha)/other designated authority for their favourable consideration, it said.

ASOs are Group B non-gazetted officers.

The competent authority has taken a serious view in the matter, the order said.

It is informed that all such acts will invite appropriate action, including disciplinary action, as per extant rules in all such cases, the DoPT said.

It cited relevant provision of the conduct rules for the employees in its order that says no government servant shall bring or attempt to bring any political or other outside influence to bear upon any superior authority to further his interests in respect of matters pertaining to his service under the government.