Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 6: High Court today took note of the EXCELSIOR report highlighting the issue of premature transfer of several KAS officers in blatant violation of transfer policy and stayed the transfer of one KAS officer, who played key role in getting encroachment from the JDA land retrieved at Gole Gujral.
During the course of hearing in a writ petition filed by the KAS officers regarding their seniority, Advocate Sudarshan Sharma appearing for the petitioners drew the attention of High Court towards a Civil Miscellaneous Application moved by KAS officer Rajesh Kumar Shavan and a report published in EXCELSIOR regarding transfers of KAS officers in blatant violation of transfer policy.
After going through the CMA and hearing Advocate Sudershan Sharma, Justice Janak Raj Kotwal observed, “yet another instance of premature transfer interestingly by General Administration Department has come to the fore”, adding “this is despite the fact that GAD vide Order No.861 of 2010 dated July 28, 2010, had notified the transfer policy formulated in pursuance to the Cabinet Decision No.156/12/2010 dated July 27, 2010. This transfer policy besides providing for a minimum tenure of two years, at one place of posting also prescribed an inbuilt mechanism for premature transfer”.
“Petitioner was posted as Regional Director, Survey and Land Records (ex-officio Settlement Officer), Jammu vide Government Order No.1402-GAD of 2013 dated September 30, 2013 and now he has been transferred vide impugned Government Order No.834-GAD of 2014 dated August 4, 2014, which sans reason as contemplated for premature transfer”, High Court said.
With these observations, High Court issued three weeks notice to the respondents in the main petition as well as CMA. Meanwhile, subject to objections and till next date of hearing before the bench, the High Court stayed the transfer of R K Shavan and directed that he shall continue at his present place of posting—Regional Director, Survey and Land Records, Jammu.
According to the sources, some aggrieved KAS officers also called on Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar and highlighted the issue of pre-mature transfer. “The Chief Secretary assured the KAS officers that he will look into the issue”, sources added.
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