Govt of India has been consistently following the policy of Rotational transfer of its employees every 3 years. Reason : to disable them from developing vested interests and stop from indulging in corrupt practices. The rule has stood the test of time. All State governments are following same policy, which was laid down after careful consideration by several bodies including the Administrative Reforms Commissions , CVC, Standing / Select committees etc. DOP&T’s guidelines apply across the board to bureaucracy. Personal sections of ministers, considered as sensitive postings, come within the purview of the aforesaid guidelines.
Now comes the surprise move by the ruling dispensation.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the PM ,has reversed the policy. The ACC has fixed a tenure of 10 yrs for the personal staff of central ministers. No wonder,the policy will start covering the entire bureaucracy.The new rule of “ freezing” erstwhile appointments for further five years at a stretch ,is fraught with serious implications on the role of Ethics in bureaucracy. It has hit the very basis of rotational transfer policy.
A little suspicion . Was the new rule prompted by considerations of legitimising extended tenures of personal staff of erstwhile Ministers who were cherry-picked to continue in the new council of ministers. Members in personal staff are expected to ensure implementation of unethical orders of ministers- by hook or by crook. Changes in transfer policy guidelines of all Cadres will required.
During the Nehruvian and Gandhian times, officers were continued ad infinitum in violation of rules. Position went berserk when the Congress supremo during UPA, remained as the de facto CEO for ten years.
Public expects PM Modi to be different.Even, Principal Secretary and Addl Pr Secy in the PMO are continuing with elevated status. But,their cases stand on a different footing.Not comparable to ministers’ personal staff. However, no one should be considered indispensable in bureaucracy. PM Modi is expected to learn lessons from UPA scams instead of repeating the similar blunders.
If, lessons are not learnt from history, it is bound to repeat itself.
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