UPSC returns 3 nominations to IAS

Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 28

In a major embarrassment to the Khattar government, the nominations to three out of five names for elevation to the IAS have been returned with the UPSC raising queries over lapses, incomplete ACR records, overwriting and use of correcting fluid.

These nominations are those of Cabinet Minister Ram Bilas Sharma’s daughter, wife of the CM’s Principal Secretary and a senior town planner. Sources confirmed that the letter bearing diary number 79059 dated July 21, sent by the Service One branch of the UPSC has been received at the Haryana Civil Secretariat.

This letter has raised several issues with regard to the documents submitted by the three candidates. This includes non-submission of the requisite ACRs , overwriting and in the case of the minister’s daughter UPSC has written that a stamp has been affixed on her application indicating that the reviewing/accepting authority has seen the officer’s work. However, the authority concerned has already retired. Though the stamp has been affixed, it bears no signatures.

Approval on all names is to be sought by the administrative secretary from the minister concerned. After this, the Chief Secretary who chairs the screening committee ensures the completion of all records to include ACRs for the last five years. The panel sent to the UPSC included three out of five names from the Health Department. There are two vacancies in the IAS for state government employees meeting certain criteria.

The panel included names of Dr Asha Sharma, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma’s daughter, Dr Sonia Trikha, wife of CM’s Principal Secretary Rajesh Khullar, and Dr Rakesh Talwar, a senior medical officer posted in Haryana Raj Bhawan. The other two names are Gurmeet Kaur, a senior town planner, and Parmeshwar Mehra, an officer in the Excise and Taxation Department.

In the case of Dr Sonia Trikha, the DoPT has written that all ACRs have not been furnished and the remarks in the remarks column along with the name, designation and stamps of the reviewing or accepting authority are missing in some ACRs.

Meanwhile, a complaint has been filed against Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister before the Lokayukta, Haryana, with a prayer for conducting a fair inquiry as “top public functionaries of the state government have openly favoured three candidates”.

However, providing a window for rectification the communication reads: “The state government is, therefore, requested to rectify the deficiencies and send clarifications and ACRs at the earliest. All annexures, certificates should bear the signatures and stamps of the competent authority of the state government. It is further requested that an officer conversant with the issue be deputed to come along with the documents, ACRs with a prior appointment.”

The selection process for Haryana Government employees for elevation into the IAS started in January. Three of the five nominations have direct linkage to the powers that be.

Once shortlisted, the candidates are to be interviewed by the UPSC Chairman along with a senior officer from the DoPT, Haryana’s Chief Secretary and the Revenue Secretary on the interview board.

Attempts to contact Neerja Sekhar, Secretary, Personnel, and Chief Secretary Deepinder Singh Dhesi were unsuccessful as their staff that they had expressed their unwillingness to meet.

However, an official from the Department of Personnel who confirmed the receipt of the communication, said: “We are trying to collect all required record for sending it to New Delhi in a day or two.”

Long and short of it

There are two vacancies in the IAS for state government employees meeting certain criteria. Three of the five nominations have direct linkage to the powers that be.

Those in the fray  

1 Dr Asha Sharma, daughter of Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma

2 Dr Sonia Trikha, wife of CM's Principal Secretary Rajesh Khullar

3 Dr Rakesh Talwar, senior medical officer posted in Haryana Raj Bhawan

4 Gurmeet Kaur, senior town planner

5 Parmeshwar Mehra, officer in the Excise and Taxation Department