HP govt issues order against posting of state employees in home districts

HP govt asserted officers of All India Services, excise, taxation and police as well as those at district-level will not be posted in their home districts

The Himachal Pradesh government on Friday asserted that officers of All India Services, excise, taxation and police department as well as those at district-level will not be posted in their home districts, adding that violation of the rules will attract strict punishment.

The government has also called for a list of officers who are currently posted in violation of the rules in this regard.

The government reiterated the Comprehensive Guiding Principles-2013 for regulating the transfer of state government employees.

The latest order of the government pertains to para 3 of the guideline which deals with posting of officers in home districts or home subdivision.

The directive clearly stated that transfer orders be issued very scrupulously and strictly as per the provisions laid down, and pointed out that the transfer proposals are still being considered in contravention of the settled provision and orders are being issued in a routine manner.

In a letter issued here, the deputy secretary (Personnel) said a departure from the guiding principles is a serious administrative lapse warranting stern action against the violators and it has been decided that the transfer orders issued and adjustment made in violation of Para 3 of the guidelines be cancelled/withdrawn forthwith under intimation to the personnel department.

"The instructions also requested to bring to the notice of competent authority instances of those officers who are currently posted in relaxation of above said principles and take orders of the competent authority for continuation of these officers in their home districts," the order said.

According to para 3 of the guidelines, the officers of IAS, IPS and IFS cadre, all district-level officers and their equivalent officers, divisional forest officers, assistant excise and taxation commissioners and inspectors, police inspectors, sub inspectors, district attorneys, deputy district attorneys and public prosecutors will not be posted in their home districts.

Further assistant district attorneys, block development officers, tehsildars, Naib Tehsildars, forest range officers, deputy rangers, assistant engineers and junior engineers will not be posted in their home sub-divisions, while superintending engineers (SE) will not be posted in home circles and executive engineers in home division, except in design.

"Forest guards will not be posted in home block, Kanungos in home tehsil/sub tehsil, patwaris in home patwari circle, panchayat secretaries in home panchayats, and panchayat inspectors in home blocks.

"However, relaxation has been given to widows, wives of soldiers, more than 60 per cent disabled persons, couple cases and tribal areas," the order added.