An IAS officer who served as private secretary to Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, despite the minister recommending disciplinary action. Parag Harshad Gavali, a 2013-batch IAS officer from the Odisha cadre, had reportedly been on “unauthorised” leave for nearly two weeks.
Minister’s Objection
On February 12, Jual Oram urged the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and Odisha’s Chief Secretary to take disciplinary action against Gavali and include the matter in his Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) for 2024-25.
Unexpected Appointment
Despite this, on February 28, DoPT appointed Gavali as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The official letter stated that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) had approved his transfer based on the Civil Services Board’s recommendations.
Controversy and Speculation
Senior officials maintain that due process was followed, but the move has sparked debate over bureaucratic accountability and potential political intervention. Some observers question whether procedural norms were bypassed.
