New Delhi: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Principal Bench, New Delhi, has directed the Government of West Bengal to grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the cadre transfer of IPS officer Mane Swapnil Tukaram (2022 batch) from West Bengal to Karnataka on the grounds of marriage.
The officer is currently serving in the West Bengal cadre and had sought inter-cadre transfer after his marriage to IPS officer Shaloo Soni (2021 batch) of the Karnataka cadre.
Karnataka Already Issued NOC
According to case details, the Government of Karnataka, which is the receiving cadre, has already issued its No Objection Certificate for the proposed transfer.
However, the West Bengal government had neither issued an NOC nor communicated any decision despite repeated representations, leading to prolonged delay in the process.
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Repeated Requests Ignored
Mane Swapnil Tukaram had submitted multiple reminders to the West Bengal government, including emails dated:
- May 12, 2025
- June 16, 2025
- June 30, 2025
Despite these follow-ups, no formal response or decision was issued by the state government.
CAT Observations and Ruling
The Tribunal observed that the prolonged inaction by the West Bengal government was unjustified and caused undue delay in finalizing the officer’s cadre transfer.
The CAT ruled that failure to issue the NOC would be treated as “deemed issuance of NOC,” effectively removing administrative blockage in the transfer process.
Direction for Time-Bound Action
The Tribunal has directed the competent authority to take immediate steps to complete the cadre transfer of Mane Swapnil Tukaram from West Bengal cadre to Karnataka cadre within a fixed time frame.
It further instructed that once the transfer order is issued, the West Bengal government must relieve the officer promptly to enable him to join the Karnataka cadre.
Deemed Relieving Clause
The CAT also made it clear that if the West Bengal government fails to relieve the officer within the stipulated time, he shall be deemed relieved automatically after expiry of the deadline, ensuring smooth joining in Karnataka.
Marriage-Based Cadre Transfer Case
The case involves inter-cadre transfer on compassionate grounds following marriage between two IPS officers serving in different cadres—West Bengal and Karnataka—highlighting administrative procedures governing All India Services cadre mobility.
