BENGALURU: Senior IAS officer Harsh Gupta, Special officer & Competent Authority (CA) in the I Monetary Advisory (IMA) issue, has written to the Chief Secretary questioning the reasons for his transfer last month. The officer has also drawn the attention of the top bureaucrat to establishment of the Civil Services Board, which has to be constituted in all states on the directions of the Supreme Court.
“I understand that as per the recent judgments of the Supreme Court, each state has to have a CSB headed by the Chief Secretary of the state, which has to ensure that no premature transfers are allowed. In exceptional circumstances, where such premature transfers are required, the reasons must be recorded in writing. I request that I may be provided a copy of the reasons for my transfer. In case there is no such CSB procedure in the state, I may kindly be explained the reasons for the same,” Gupta’s letter to the Chief Secretary, dated January 24, stated.
Gupta was posted as Regional Commissioner, Bengaluru division, on August 22. On January 13, he was transferred from the post of RC and defacto CA, IMA, to the newly-created post of CA, IMA. Gupta said his sudden transfer came to him as a surprise. “I have already written to the Revenue Secretary that there was no need for creating an exclusive post of CA, IMA. It would have been more effective to retain the CA job along with the regular posts of DC or RC by strengthening the same. The need for creating such a new post was never discussed with me even though I have been discharging that job for the last four months,” Gupta said.
“I am not able to understand the urgency of posting me to such a post. Creation of posts without suitable work profile may damage the foundation of premier government services,” he added.Gupta has also drawn the attention of the Chief Secretary to his work as Regional Commissioner when he had cracked down on illegal transfer of government land, taken disciplinary action and had filed criminal cases against erring officials. “I request you to ensure quick disciplinary action against the erring officials... else it would demoralise the officers who are working to protect government interests and will embolden corrupt officers and land mafia” Gupta stated.