Govt vs bureaucracy? 20 officers suspended in 4 yrs of AAP rule in Punjab

The suspension of two senior IAS officers -- KK Yadav and Jaspreet Singh -- by the AAP government on Saturday night has once again brought to fore a rather uneasy relationship between the ruling party and the bureaucracy.During the four years of the AAP government in Punjab, at least 20 senior officers from the civil and police departments have been placed under suspension. A similar number of officers have remained without postings for months together, after their reported run-ins with the political functionaries in the government.Can't take inefficiency lightly: AAPDefending the suspensions, AAP general secretary Baltej Pannu said the government in fact deserved a pat in the back for not taking inefficiency from officers lightlyIt is our duty to take action against those indulging in corrupt practices or being lax in their work. We are answerable to people who voted for us,” Pannu saidA senior IAS officer, AK Sinha, retired last month after he remained without posting for three months. He was posted out as CMD of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited.Yesterday, Additional Chief Secretary Vikas Pratap, posted in the Social Security Department, was sent packing in the case of delay in procurement of 28,515 smartphones for Anganwadi workers. The Punjab Infotech was to procure the phones for the Department of Social Security. Yadav was the Administrative Secretary of the Department for Promotion of IT and Jaspreet Singh was the MD, Punjab Infotech.Ever since AAP came to power in 2022, the ruling party has not had a very smooth relation with the babus and police officers of the state. So much so that in the first year of the AAP government, PCS officers went on a mass casual leave after their colleagues were nabbed by the Vigilance Bureau. Even IAS officers had then taken umbrage at one of their colleagues being booked by the bureau. The government then acted tough with the PCS officers and had managed to win over the IAS officers' lobby.Since then, the relationship between the two sides has been going down the spiral. “Never in the past have so many officers been placed under suspension. The government would just give the officers “khuddeline” postings, in case of any disagreements or discrepancies found in their working. But this government takes inefficiency by officers very seriously,” said a retired IAS officer.While two senior IAS officers -- DK Tiwari and Gurpreet Singh Khaira -- were suspended in August 2023 (subsequently reinstated) over alleged technically flaws in dissolving elected village Panchayats.The services of Rajesh Tripathi were also placed under suspension last year. Two PCS officers -- Charumita and GS Johal -- were also placed under suspension last year. Interestingly, the number of officers who have proceeded on central government deputation is also high during the past four years, with around 10 having proceeded on central deputation.On the police side, the list of those suspended (some have since been reinstated) amongst others includes SPS Parmar, Maninder Singh, Swarandeep Singh, Harpreet Singh, Lakhbir Singh, Varinder Singh and seven officers who were accused of dereliction of duty that led to security breach during the Prime Minister’s visit to Punjab in January 2022. These seven officers were suspended in 2023, during AAP government’s tenure. Around 50 police officers were also dismissed from service.

Govt vs bureaucracy? 20 officers suspended in 4 yrs of AAP rule in Punjab

No postings for 20 others after 'run-ins' with party functionaries

Ruchika Khanna

Tribune News Service

Govt vs bureaucracy? 20 officers suspended in 4 yrs of AAP rule in Punjab

No postings for 20 others after 'run-ins' with party functionaries

Ruchika Khanna

Tribune News Service

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