Form of words:
New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, former Central Board of Direct Taxes chairman PC Modi was on Friday appointed as the new Secretary General (SG) of the Rajya Sabha, reducing the tenure of the incumbent SG, PPK Ramacharyulu, who was appointed for a little over two months. it was done. Earlier.
Ramacharyulu was considered close to Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu. Naidu, who is the appointing authority for the post of SG, as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha (RS), signed the order appointing Modi on Friday.
The position of the SG is an important one in the parliamentary system. According to the Rajya Sabha website, the SG is the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and through him the Parliamentary Adviser to the House. The SG is also the administrative head of the RS Secretariat and is in charge of all administrative and executive functions on behalf of and in the name of the Chairman.
ThePrint reached out to Vice President Naidu’s secretary IV Subba Rao over phone, text and WhatsApp messages for comment, but did not elicit a response till this report was published.
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Modi first IRS officer to be appointed to Rajya Sabha
Modi is the first Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer to be appointed to the rank of SG. Unlike the Lok Sabha, till date, the post of SG in the Rajya Sabha has always been held by either retired IAS officers of the secretary level or retired law officers. In the Lok Sabha, since its inception, three LS Secretariat officers have been promoted to the rank of SG.
A retired IRS officer of 1982 batch, Modi has been appointed to the post and position of Cabinet Secretary till 10 August 2022. He has nearly 40 years of experience in handling various positions in the Government of India including CBDT Chairman. As Member (Investigation), CBDT, he has also supervised the functioning of the Investigation Wing of Income Tax Department spread across the country.
The incumbent SG Ramacharyulu has been appointed as advisor to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. He was earlier an RS Secretariat insider, rising through the ranks to be appointed SG on 1 September. He started his career as an assistant (a rank, which is below the section officer in Govt.).
Ramacharyulu was appointed after the then SG, Desh Deepak Varma, who failed to get an extension after his fourth term as SG ended.
However, Ramacharyulu’s tenure as SG has not been the shortest. SS Sohoni, a former IAS officer, was appointed SG for two months and seven days from 25 July 1997 to 2 October 1997. Ramacharyulu’s tenure is longer than his few days.
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Why was the current SG removed, Modi’s appointment raised eyebrows
Former RS SG Vivek Agnihotri told ThePrint that there are no recruitment rules for the appointment of an SG in LS or RS. “It is in the absolute discretion of the Speaker in the case of Lok Sabha and the Chairman in the case of Rajya Sabha to appoint whoever he thinks fit for the post.”
But still, Modi’s appointment 10 months before Naidu’s term as Vice President ends, has surprised many in the corridors of Parliament.
Agnihotri said what was unique in this case was the manner in which Ramacharyulu was removed only two months after his appointment and that too at the end of Naidu’s tenure as Vice President.
“SG appointments are generally co-terminus with VP’s tenure in office. I do not know whether his appointment in September was a temporary arrangement or he was changed because something happened,” he said.
A senior Parliament official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “Ramacharyulu was considered close to Naidu and was appointed by him in September.” Having worked in RS Secretariat for 39 years, he is well versed in parliamentary norms and procedures. Removing him after just two months is very disgraceful.”
Another senior parliament official, who did not wish to be named, said, “It could be that the direction was to appoint Ramacharyulu as the caretaker SG. But it was not mentioned in the appointment order issued on September 1.
Former LS general secretary Subhash C. Kashyap said the tradition is that the Speaker or the Speaker consults the Prime Minister, the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition of the respective Houses before appointing a suitable candidate.
He said that the appointment of central government bureaucrats to the post of SG is not a new thing. “Former IAS officers have been appointed in the past as well. IAS or IRS officers are not expected to be familiar with parliamentary conventions and rules. But then it is the discretion of the Speaker to appoint the SG. If they feel that a particular person is suitable, it is for them to decide.”
Kashyap said that from the 1950s to the early 1990s, there was no tradition of appointing IAS or central government officers to the post of SG. “But since 1990, many retired IAS officers have been regularly appointed to this post,” he said.
(Edited by Polomi Banerjee)
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