West Bengal Chief Secretary case: Centre can’t demean officers, say Ex-bureaucrats

Mukesh Ranjan

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 31

With former West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay getting caught in the cross-fire between the Centre and the state, former bureaucrats said the entire episode was demoralising for the officers. Retired IAS officer and former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi said, “The government should remember that it has more important jobs at hand.”

Former Tripura DGP KS Subramanian said the Union Government’s decision to “unilaterally move the Chief Secretary on central deputation has severely dented the Centre-state relations”.

Bengal row: ‘Govt misused power’

The Centre misused its power by recalling Bandyopadhyay without consulting the state. He was given extension in service for pandemic management. It was sheer humiliation. —Jawhar Sircar, Forme IAS officer

He said, “IAS and IPS officers are recruited, transferred and posted by the Centre. But once posted, they are answerable to the respective state government and their shifting should not be done without consulting the state.”

The Centre’s latest move has complicated the matters relating to the transfer/posting of officers, Subramanian said, adding that if politicians “do not behave maturely and responsibly”, it would be become difficult to govern a “diverse and complex” country like India. Terming the Centre’s move “misuse of power”, former IAS officer Jawhar Sircar said, “There is another order dated May 24, 2021, for pandemic management and his (Bandyopadhyay’s) extension. Without superseding that order, the officer was asked to come to Delhi. It amounts to sheer humiliation.”

Another former IAS officer alleged it was a “petty-minded” act to recall the officer without consulting the state government. Bandyopadhyay was ordered to report to the Department of Personnel and Training by 10 am on Monday.