RAMCHANDRAN ROW: SHOULD AN IAS OFFICER BE APPOINTED AS DGP OF THE STATE?

CHANDIGARH: Whether an IPS officer should be appointed on a post meant for an IAS cadre officer or vice versa, the issue has gone the talk of these days once again after a senior female IPS officer Kala Ramchandran has been given a portfolio of Principal Secretary, Transport Department along with her present duties in the Police department. Although the issue did not surface for the very first time as prior to this, a string of non-IAS officers namely IRS, IFS and IPS were appointed on the posts meant for the IAS cadre. In continuation to this, another discussion among the IAS officials continues to surface that following the above scenario why a IAS should not be assigned the charge of the DGP, senior most post in the IPS cadre.

One of the senior IAS officers opined that if the state government can appoint an IPS officer on the post meant for the IAS officers, then following new footprints, the state government should come up with a plan to get the IAS officials on the panels to be sent to the UPSC for the post of DGP in future and what’s wrong in it.

Thus, appointing an IPS on the posts meant for IAS officials always led to controversy so far. It is worth mentioning that it is the right of the chief minister to appoint officials depending on the requirements to run the state.

Apart from above mentioned, it is pertinent to mention that another IPS officer, Amitabh Dhillon( 1997 batch) holds the charge of Commissioner, Transport Department. Likewise, an IPS officer Pankaj Nain (2007 batch) has been given the charge of Director and Special Secretary, Sports and Youth Welfare. A Senior IPS Alok Mittal, (1993 batch) who also holds the portfolio of chief of CID, has been appointed as Additional Resident Commissioner, Haryana Bhawan, Delhi. Another senior IPS officer Hanif Qureshi (1996 batch) holds the charge of Director renewable energy. Besides, IFS officer MD Sinha (1996 batch) has been given the responsibility of Principal Secretary, Tourism Department. Apart from this, another IFS officer TP Singh (1996 batch) is bearing the responsibility of Secretary, forest Department. While an IRS officer Yogendra Chaudhary (2006 batch) holds the charge of Principal Secretary, Foreign Cooperation. In continuation to this, an IPS Sashank Anand has been appointed Managing Director, Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN). Recently, senior IPS officer Shatrujeet Kapoor, who was holding the post of Principal Secretary, Transport Department, was relieved of the charge following his new appointment as the Director General of the State Vigilance Bureau.