Khemka denies being on poll duty

Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka was today at the centre of another controversy with the state government stating that he has been sent on election duty and hence the post held by him has been temporarily given to another officer, an order he contested.
Questioning the government order, Khemka, who hit the spotlight last year when he cancelled mutation of Robert Vadra-DLF land deal as Haryana's Town and Country Planning head, said he has not proceeded on any election duty and therefore he has not handed over his charge to anyone.
In a minor reshuffle announced on Tuesday, the Haryana government announced posting of Pradeep Kasni, Secretary to Haryana Administrative Reforms Department as Secretary Haryana Archives Department and Director General, Archives, Haryana in addition to his present duties "during the period of election duty of Ashok Khemka."

In the reshuffle, the Haryana government had issued posting and transfers orders of seven IAS and one HCS officers, all with immediate effect.
However, Khemka, a 1991 batch IAS officer, told reporters today that he was on leave since last Saturday till yesterday and had never relinquished his charge. On the contrary, he rejoined duty today, Khemka said.
He also said that he had not proceeded on any election duty so far and therefore, the question of his handing over his present charge to anyone does not arise.
The State Government cannot hand over the charge to anyone when he had not proceeded on any poll duty, he asserted.

Khemka, who has been transferred several times, is under the scanner of the state government which is preparing a second charge sheet against him for alleged low sale of wheat seeds during his tenure in Haryana Seed Development Corporation as its managing director from October 15, 2012 to April 4 this year.