On frequent and arbitrary transfers of IAS officers in Kerala, the Pinarayi Vijayan led government has faced a big setback. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has stopped the Kerala government from arbitrary transfers of IAS officers.
In an interim order, the CAT prohibited the Kerala government from appointing or transferring IAS officers without the recommendation of the Civil Services Board.
The tribunal endorsed the argument of the IAS officers that such quick transfers were affecting governance.
The tribunal passed the interim order on an application filed by the Kerala IAS Officers Association, IAS officers B. Ashok and Priyanka G., challenging the government decision to transfer certain IAS Officers allegedly in breach of Indian Administrative Service Cadre) Rules, 1954 and Indian Administrative Service (Cadre) Amendment Rules, 2014.
Kerala IAS Officers’ Association and senior IAS officers had approached the CAT saying that the Pinarayi government was transferring IAS officers with no respect for the legally mandated minimum tenure of two years.
The IAS officers, in their application submitted to the CAT, have stated that the Supreme Court, in its 2013 landmark judgment in the TSR Subramanian case, had directed the Centre and states to give all civil servants a ‘minimum assured tenure’ at a particular posting.
