Ahead of polls, UT seeks tenure extension of officers

Chandigarh, December 23
Three officers on verge of transfers to their parent cadres and a PCS officer seeking repatriation, the Chandigarh Administration has pressed panic button writing the MHA to allow extension in tenure of the officers concerned, at least, for the time being.
These officers, including Ajoy Sharma, Director, Higher Education (DHE), CITCO Managing Director DK Tiwari, MC Commissioner Prerna Puri and SS Khara, Joint Secretary, finance.
Already senior officials of the UT Administration were holding a number of departments and if these officers were transferred or repatriated then the situation would become worse. Overburdened with departments, Finance Secretary VK Singh was holding the charge of 15 departments whereas the Home Secretary was heading 17 departments.
In a communication to the UT administration, Ajoy Sharma, a Punjab cadre IAS of 1999 batch, who had been on a six-month ex-India leave, had sought repatriation to his parent cadre.
Similarly, the deputation term of DK Tewari, an IAS officer of 1994 batch of Punjab cadre, who is also holding charge of the Special Secretary, health, is going to be completed on December 31.
Likewise, the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT), has issued transfer order of the Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner Prerna Puri, a 2006 batch IAS officer from AGMUT cadre, to Arunachal Pradesh.
Not only IAS officers, but a PCS officer SS Khara, who is on deputation with the UT Administration, holding the charge of the Joint Secretary, finance, has also sought repatriation to his parent cadre.
A senior UT official said that as the Chandigarh Administration is already facing shortage of officers, therefore in the case of DK Tiwari and Prerna Puri, they have now sent a letter to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to allow these officers to work with the UT Administration till the time MHA does not send their replacement.
Besides, in the case of Ajoy Sharma, a senior UT official added that his wife’s study course will take time and the UT Administration cannot afford to give him more leaves, therefore, Ajoy Sharma has sought repatriation to his parent cadre.
The official further added that Khara wa going to retire next year, therefore, he had also sought repatriation as he wanted to retire from his parent cadre.

Elections in February, 2012

As the polls in Punjab are scheduled to be held in February, 2012, and the model code of conduct will be in place, therefore, it will be difficult for the UT Administration to get replacement of these Punjab cadre officers in near future.