Hyderabad: In a significant ruling, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to allot senior IAS officer A. Vani Prasad (1995 batch) to the Telangana cadre, bringing an end to a prolonged dispute over cadre allocation post the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
The order was delivered by a division bench comprising Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice V. Ramakrishna Reddy, in response to a petition filed by the officer challenging her continued allocation to the Andhra Pradesh cadre, despite her request to serve in Telangana.
Background: Post-Bifurcation Cadre Dispute
A. Vani Prasad, currently serving as Special Chief Secretary in the Andhra Pradesh government, had earlier filed a plea after her application for reallocation to Telangana cadre was rejected by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Hyderabad.
Her allocation to Andhra Pradesh was initially based on recommendations from the Pratyush Sinha Committee, formed to determine the cadre distribution between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh after the creation of the new state in 2014.
HC Overrules CAT’s Decision
The High Court found merit in Vani Prasad’s plea, overruling the CAT’s earlier decision and instructing the DoPT to take necessary steps to transfer her to the Telangana cadre.
The court emphasized that the cadre preferences and individual circumstances of officers must be considered while making such crucial decisions, especially in cases arising from State bifurcation, which have long-term implications on the careers of civil servants.
Implications of the Order
The ruling is expected to have broader implications for other civil servants seeking cadre reallocation between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It may also prompt a re-evaluation of the fairness and transparency of decisions made by the Pratyush Sinha Committee and the processes adopted by the DoPT in such matters.
With the court’s direction, the Centre is now expected to issue fresh orders to formally transfer Vani Prasad to the Telangana cadre, where she is likely to be appointed to a senior administrative role.
