IAS lobby gives a miss to Singal’s swearing-in as CIC

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 28

Simmering differences between the IAS and the IPS lobbies in the state came to the fore yet again today with IAS officers virtually ‘boycotting’ the swearing-in of former DGP Yashpal Singal as the state’s Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) at the Haryana Raj Bhavan here.

While Chief Secretary DS Dhesi was present as protocol demanded his presence, senior IAS officers were conspicuous by their absence. However, Additional Chief Secretary SS Prasad, a close relative of Singal, was present. On the other hand, IPS officers came in strength to witness the swearing-in of Singal as the CIC—the first IPS officer to break ‘monopoly’ of the IAS lobby over the post.

Sources said the IAS lobby’s “displeasure” with Singal’s selection as the CIC was understandable as the post had been a preserve of the IAS lobby for a long time. Earlier, IAS officers—G Madhavan, Meenaxi Anand Chaudhary and Naresh Gulati—had held the post. Even this time around, senior bureaucrat Rajan Gupta besides other bureaucrats was a contender for the top post.

In fact, it was a double whammy for the IAS lobby with the post of the State Information Commissioner also going to retired HCS officer Narender Yadav. Yadav was also administered the oath of office and allegiance by Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki here.

Meanwhile, the visit of Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Venkaiah Naidu also took a toll on the attendance at the swearing-in ceremony.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his Cabinet colleagues also could not make it to the function. Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu and Deputy Speaker Santosh Yadav among a few political personalities were present at the function. Newly appointed DGP BS Sandhu was among prominent personalities at the function.

It is not for the first time that the IAS lobby is feeling let down by the Khattar regime. Earlier, senior IPS officer Shatrujit Kapoor was appointed as the CMD of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam—a development which had not gone down well with the IAS lobby since this post was considered to be a cadre post.

In another case, three senior IAS officers, who reportedly opposed the re-allotment of land to AJL Private Limited, publishers of the National Herald, in Panchkula are under the scanner of the CBI. The case was transferred to the CBI by the BJP government apparently to target former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was HUDA chairman when the AJL was re-allotted the plot.