Central Services want reformations in states' power

New Delhi, Aug 20: Durga Shakti Nagpal's suspension was an eye opener for many people in many ways. While people came to know about the dirt-play in politics, which was once just heard-of, civil services found themselves in a position of uncertainty and helplessness.

So much so that they joined hands, demanding a reformation in the states' power in matters involving bureaucrats.

Three central services-the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Forest Service (IFS), have now joined hands to move authorities for changes in the rules empowering state governments to suspend public servants.

A significant move since the inception of this class, this coalition is a ray of hope for honest officers.

Impatient and frustrated by the arbitrary suspensions and transfers, these officers met SK Sarrkar of Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT)on Monday and sought reforms in the states' interference in Bureaucratic transfers and suspensions. "We want powers of the state governments to be curbed," said Sanjay R Bhoosreddy, secretary of the IAS officers.

They have put forward certain points in front of the DoPT, which is the custodian of regulations governing the bureaucracy and the central services. Highlighting the fact that officers should not be suspended at one go, they have chalked out a two-step procedure, which are:

• Issuing show-cause notice and seeking explanation from the offer concerned
• Clearing the suspension order by the centre

Officers, further said,"The current powers with the state government are being misused. We have no objection to action being initiated against corrupt officers, rules should be amended to so that honest officers are protected."

Durga Shakti Nagpal's suspension is a case in point. She was falsely implicated for ordering the demolition of an under-constructed mosque that was built on illegal land. Battling the government becomes even more difficult when it is influenced by external factors like the mafia. Minister of State for Personnel and Training, V Narayansamy said that the Centre was unable intervene in the suspension case as Durga had not written to them, seeking justice.

"Till the officer concerned writes to us challenging the UP Governments order suspending her we cannot intervene," Mr Narayansamy said in Durga's case.

OneIndia News