HC seeks response on extension to UP chief secretary

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday sought the Uttar Pradesh government's response to a petition filed over the three-month extension granted to Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan.

Hearing a petition filed by social activist Nutan Thakur, the court asked the state to furnish a copy of the proforma on which the Akhilesh Yadav government sent detailed information about senior India Administrative Service officer Alok Ranjan to the central government.

A bench of Justice A.P. Sahi and Justice A.R. Masudi directed that the information be given by the next date of hearing on April 8.

The proforma includes information about the availability of other officers for the post, efforts made in this regard, reasons for seeking extension and integrity of the officer in question etc.

The petitioner contended that the IAS Service Rules stipulate extension in service of the chief secretary for six months with the Centre's prior approval but the retiring officer needs to be of outstanding merit.

However, Ranjan was allegedly found guilty in the Justice R.R. Mishra Commission report for improper disbursal of loans of Rs.5,000 crore to the non-agricultural sector while working as managing director of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) between 2002 and 2007, apart from loans given to a Mumbai Mall and for the purchase of M.F. Hussain's paintings, regarding which two FIRs were registered against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation.