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Chandigarh administration sends back another Haryana Civil Service officer, second in 10 days

Following a tussle between officers of the Haryana and Union Territory cadres, Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Joint Commissioner Sumeet Sihag had written to the administration that he did not want to continue with the UT administration.

A cold war is ongoing between officers of the Haryana cadre and the Union Territory cadre, with all important posts being allegedly given to officers of the Union Territory cadre and HCS officers being sidelined. (EXpress Photo)

Just 10 days after Haryana Civil Service (HCS) officer Dr Richa was sent back by the Chandigarh administration, another HCS officer, Sumeet Sihag, was repatriated to his parent cadre on Thursday.

Sources said that Sihag had written to the Chandigarh administration requesting to send him back citing personal reasons. This was during the ongoing tussle between officers of the Haryana cadre and the Union Territory cadre.

On September 15, HCS officer Dr Richa was sent back to her parent cadre of Haryana by the Chandigarh administration, almost eight months after joining the Union Territory on deputation.

On Thursday, the order for Sihag’s repatriation said, “The Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh, is pleased to relieve Sumeet Sihag HCS, Joint Commissioner Municipal corporation Chandigarh, from Chandigarh Administration to enable him to join his parent State of Haryana.”

When asked about his repatriation, Sihag said he was going back owing to “personal reasons”.

Ongoing tussle

Sources said that even Richa was not allotted an office or driver for days and was posted as the registrar of cooperative societies. Feeling sidelined, she went on leave, and upon her return, was made to sit in the court of the assistant registrar of cooperative societies in the absence of an office.

Sihag, who too was unhappy with the state of affairs in the Union Territory, had proceeded on leave after indicating that he would not continue any longer.

Important departments like excise and health, all of which were with Haryana IAS officers, have also gone to officers of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories) cadre.

Even among IAS officers, the crucial charge of the excise and taxation commissioner, which is normally held by the deputy commissioner, a Haryana-cadre IAS officer, has been given to AGMUT-cadre officer Hari Kallikkat, who is also the managing director of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation.

Similarly, the health department, earlier handled by the home secretary (a senior Haryana-cadre IAS officer), is now with AGMUT-cadre officer Ajay Chagti. After the repatriation of then home secretary Arun Gupta, who also held the health portfolio, the charge has remained with Union Territory-cadre officers.

The Haryana Government has sent a fresh panel of HCS officers to the Chandigarh administration for deputation. The officers whom the panel selects will replace Richa and Sumeet. Once a name is finalised, it will go to the Chandigarh administrator for approval. An officer’s name is finalised based on their work experience and administrative qualities.

Other HCS officers who have left

It is not the first time that an HCS officer has sought premature repatriation.

Shashi Vasundhara, 2016-batch HCS officer, also expressed her willingness to go back to Haryana. She was serving as the joint commissioner in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.

Similarly, Shalini Chetal returned to Haryana while serving as the joint commissioner of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, and Shambhu Rathi also returned to his parent cadre.

Another HCS officer, Sanyam Garg, was relieved by the Chandigarh administration before the completion of his term.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express, Chandigarh. She covers Chandigarh administration and other cross beats. In this field for over a decade now, she has also received the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award by the President of India in January 2020. She tweets @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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