https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Uttarakhand: CM Dhami’s Decision To Reappoint IFS Officer Rahul Overruling Objections Has Been Rebuked In The SC

During the crucial hearing, a senior advocate, A N S Nadkarni, said that the CM was only trying not to sacrifice a "good officer"
Indian Masterminds Stories

In a major development, the Supreme Court of India took Uttrakhand’s CM, Mr. Pushkar Singh Dhami, at cross hands by nulling his decision to appoint IFS officer Rahul as field director of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve after overruling objections from the principal secretary and the forest minister.

During the crucial hearing, a senior advocate, A N S Nadkarni, said that the CM was only trying not to sacrifice a “good officer,” hearing which Justice B R Gavai, presiding over a three-judge bench, said that Mr. Dhami should at least have recorded the reasons for his disagreement with the objections raised by his own officials. Justice Gavai even remarked, “We are not in the feudal era.. ki raja jaise bole waisa chale (we must not agree whatever the ‘king’ says).”

There is something like a public trust doctrine in this country. The heads of the executive cannot be expected to be old-day kings that whatever they say they will do. When a specific noting is there right from the first officer, that is the section officer, endorsed by the Deputy Secretary, endorsed by by the Principal Secretary, endorsed by the honourable Minister that on account of ABC reasons, he should not be posted there, you think that despite of that, just because he is chief minister, he can do anything?” remarked Justice Gavai.

He further observed, “There is a specific note … that departmental proceedings are initiated against him, that CBI enquiry is there and therefore he should not be posted anywhere in the tiger reserve. That is endorsed by the deputy secretary, that is endorsed by the principal secretary and the forest minister and this is all ignored by the chief minister!…

What Is The Matter?

The Uttarakhand government had recently removed Indian Forest Service officer Rahul — he uses only his first name — from the office of Director, Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Officer Rahul has now been posted as Chief Conservator of Forests of the Monitoring, Evaluation, IT, and Modernization division, the position he held before moving to the Rajaji Reserve.

Officer Rahul had stated, “Though there is no anomaly in my transfer order and it can pass any judicial scrutiny, the process may be quite lengthy and tiresome… (and) I may not be able to do proper justice to my present assignment, which requires focused attention in the multifarious activities of the tiger reserve. So I requested the government to discharge me of the responsibilities of Rajaji.

The contentious matter came up before the bench also comprising Justices P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan, following a report submitted by the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC), Advocate Nadkarni submitted that in deference to the court, “the order posting Rahul, chief conservator of forest, as the field director of the Rajaji national park, has been withdrawn.”

It is pertinent to mention Chief Minister Dhami had overruled the state Forest Minister and the Chief Secretary to hand the charge of Rajaji TR to Rahul who was removed two years ago as head of the Corbett TR after the Uttarakhand High Court took note of illegal tree felling and construction there.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
Vartika Shukla CMD of EIL (1)
Vartika Shukla, CMD of EIL, Honored with Women’s Leadership Award at IOGTC 2025 - Know About Her
Judiciary_india
Karnataka Bar Council Urges Supreme Court Collegium to Reconsider Transfer of Four High Court Judges
NTPC Green Energy Ltd NGEL
NTPC Green Board to Consider Rs 5,000 Crore Bond Issue in FY26
Govt
5 Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand Secretariat
Indian Oil IOCL
Indian Oil to Invest Rs. 24,000 Crore in Gujarat for Refinery Expansion and Petrochemical Projects
IFS Indian Forest Service resized (IFoS)
14 IFS and 6 State Forest Service Officers Transferred in Madhya Pradesh, HU Khan Made CF&CEO (CAMPA) at HQ, Bhopal
Concor and gail MoU
CONCOR and GAIL Sign MoU to Promote Clean Fuel and Green Logistics
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
“UPSC is not the only path. If you are in any field… UPSC is not the only way to serve the nation. Be...
Raj Krishna Jha UPSC
Managing Study with a Full-Time Job, 4 Failures, & a Dream: UPSC Topper Raj Krishna Jha's Journey | Exclusive
From repeated failures to AIR 8, Raj Krishna Jha’s UPSC success proves that perseverance and strategic...
Utkarsh Yadav UPSC Rajasthan
Brother of Dausa DM Cracks UPSC with AIR 32: Utkarsh Yadav’s Inspiring Journey from Hamindpur to IAS
Utkarsh Yadav, an IIT Roorkee graduate from rural Rajasthan, secured AIR 32 in UPSC 2024 after three...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
Vartika Shukla CMD of EIL (1)
Vartika Shukla, CMD of EIL, Honored with Women’s Leadership Award at IOGTC 2025 - Know About Her
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT