In Uttar Pradesh, all transfers must now be approved by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, according to an order issued by Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra.
Recently, senior officials were suspended following a major controversy over transfers in the Public Works Department (PWD), Health, and Jal Shakti Departments.
The Chief Secretary’s order on Tuesday stated that the season of transfers ended on June 30 and that all employees will now be shifted after the Chief Minister’s permission is obtained.
In accordance with the annual transfer policy issued on June 15, all transfers at the district and division level were to be completed by June 30.
Minister Jitin Prasada-led PWD Department was recently embroiled in a major controversy over the transfer of employees, which led to the suspension of five senior department officials and the removal of his Officer on Special Duty (OSD).
In July, Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who holds the Medical and Health portfolio, was unhappy about the transfer of doctors in his department and wrote to Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Medical and Health, Amit Mohan Prasad, questioning the procedure that was followed.
“It has come to my knowledge that whatever transfers have taken place in the current session, the transfer policy has not been completely followed. Thus, provide complete details of all those who have been transferred along with reasons for their transfer,” the letter dated 4th July 2022 read.
In July, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Dinesh Khatik, sent his resignation to UP Governor Anandiben Patel and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, citing irregularities in transfers. Moreover, he claimed that he was discriminated against because he was a Dalit.
“Keeping chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s zero tolerance to corruption in mind, on July 9 I sought details about the transfers made in the department in 2022-23 but that too wasn’t provided to me,” mentioned Khatik in his letter.
He added: “When I sought clarification, my phone was bluntly disconnected midway through the conversation and this is a big insult of an elected public representative.”
