Govt seeks details on arbitrary transfers of babus from states

The Centre has asked all state govts to give details of such officers transferred by them before completion of their minimum prescribed tenure

Concerned over frequent transfers of bureaucrats, the Centre has asked all state governments to give details of such officers transferred by them before completion of their minimum prescribed tenure.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has sought details of constitution of Civil Services Board (CSB), that they were advised to form following a Supreme Court judgement, to decide on posting and transfers of civil servants, official sources said.

The DoPT had earlier carried out relevant amendments in IAS, IPS and IFS (cadre) rules and fixed minimum tenure of two years for all cadre posts.

As per rules, the CSB shall submit a quarterly report in the prescribed form to the central government clearly stating the details of officers recommended to be transferred before the minimum prescribed tenure, with the reasons for the same.

"The state governments or union territories are hereby requested once again for submission of details of constitution of CSB and submission of quarterly report as mandated," a DoPT note said.

The stability of the all India service officers, especially in the states, has been a matter of concern for a long time. Frequent and arbitrary transfers of officers before completion of a reasonable tenure on any post have always been considered as a major reason for the declining standards of administration, it said.

The DoPT has recently also formed new draft rules in which an IAS, IPS or IFS officer cannot remain suspended beyond a week except for a prior sanction of a review committee of the CSB.

Besides, state governments will have to inform the Centre within 48 hours about the suspension of an all India services officer-- Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS), as per these rules, which have been sent to state governments for comments, come into force.

IAS officers like Ashok Khemka, Durga Sakthi Nagpal and Kuldip Narayan, among others, have allegedly been victims of arbitrary suspensions and transfers.