Pinarayi Vijayan (left) and MK Stalin write to PM Modi on IAS cadre rules.
Chennai/Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan and Tamil Nadu’s MK Stalin on Sunday joined a growing list of chief ministers who have strongly opposed the central government’s proposed changes in the assignment rules of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers.
Stalin, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the amendments to the IAS cadre rules proposed by the Center “strike at the root” of the country’s federal politics and state autonomy.
Mr Vijayan also sent a similar letter, urging the government to drop the move, saying it would create “fear psychosis” among civil service officers to implement the state government’s policies.
“The proposed amendments would cause irreparable damage to the spirit of cooperative federalism existing between the Union and the states and would lead to centralization of powers in the central government,” read Mr Stalin’s letter.
If implemented, the All India Service officers would spend their careers fearing being penalized by the central government at some point, he said, adding that it would “certainly demoralize and destabilize the steel frame of the bureaucracy in India”.
“I would also like to highlight the fact that many state governments also lack officers at specific seniority, mainly due to wrong cadre management policies by the central government,” Stalin said.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the current deputation rules are already in favor of the central government.
“The proposed amendment to the All India Services Deputation Rules will certainly create a fear psychosis and hesitation among All India Services officers to implement the policies of a state government, which is politically opposed by the ruling party. party/parties are formed by the Centre”, he said in the letter.
In a resolution facing massive rejection from several opposition-ruled states, the central government has drafted rules Which will allow it to appoint and transfer IAS and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, overtaking the state governments.
Calling the plan “rigorous”Many Chief Ministers including Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal, Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, Bhupesh Baghel of Chhattisgarh and Hemant Soren of Jharkhand have written letters to PM Modi to end it.
The government defended its proposals, saying states were not sparing enough IAS officers for this. impact on the functioning of the central government
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