Chief Secretary Transfer Issue:
The Central Government may initiate disciplinary action against the West Bengal Chief Secretary after he failed to report to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in New Delhi as ordered earlier.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the “placement of services” of the Chief Secretary, as per provisions Rule 6(1) of the Indian Administrative Service (cadre) Rules, 1954.
- The ACC is headed by the Prime Minister, and the Home Minister is the other member.
- Rule 16(1) of DCRB (Death-cum-Retirement Benefit) Rules says that “a member of the Service dealing with budget work or working as a full-time member of a Committee may be given the extension of service for three months, with the prior approval of the Central Government”.
- For an officer posted as Chief Secretary of a state, this extension can be for six months.
- In normal practice, the Centre asks every year for an “offer list” of officers of the All India Services (IAS, IPS, and Indian Forest Service) willing to go on central deputation, after which it selects officers from that list.
- Rule 6(1) of the IAS Cadre Rules says an officer may, “with the concurrence of the State Governments concerned and the Central Government, be deputed for service under the Central Government or another State Government…”
- It says “in case of any disagreement, the matter shall be decided by the Central Government and the State Government or State Governments concerned shall give effect to the decision of the Central Government.”
