Chandigarh: Now chances of 3 IAS officers getting extension wane

The three, all under 30 years of age, were given important posts earlier held by senior officers of Punjab and Haryana cadre. The influence of AGMUT cadre gained strength after Dev took over as UT Adviser. For promoting these young officers, Dev faced criticism for giving preferential treatment to the UT cadre officers.

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The state governments of Haryana and Punjab had also objected to preferential treatment meted out to the UT cadre officers.

Before getting orders of his own transfer, Dev had expressed his intention of not relieving the three officers while talking to Chandigarh Newsline on Wednesday. He had said that a decision would be taken in consultation with the officers to ensure that the general public do not suffer due to shortage of officials. However, with the change in guard, the three officers seem little interested in continuing in Chandigarh.

One of the officers told Chandigarh Newsline he was not interested in an extension while another officer expressed unhappiness at the sudden transfers and said that he would initiate the process of getting relieved from his posting.

Dr S B Deepak Kumar is learnt to be next in the line to be shifted. According to sources, he has already put in a request for transfer.

Danish Ashraf was discharging duties of nodal officer (smart city); additional director, food & supplies; secretary, house allotment committee (lower); chief executive officer, Waqf Board; and member secretary, Pollution Control Board. Kashish Mittal was holding posts of additional deputy commissioner; registrar, licensing authority; additional excise & taxation commissioner; additional labour commissioner; director, hospitality; joint chief electoral officer; and secretary, state transport authority. Prince Dhawan was given responsibilities of director, information technology; assistant estate officer; secretary, Red Cross Society; nodal officer, State Agriculture Marketing Board; and land acquisition officer.

In the past, the administration has given extensions to AGMUT cadre officers despite MHA repeatedly asking to relieve them after completion of their respective terms. Satya Gopal (1998 batch), Prerna Puri (2006 batch) and Tanvi Garg (2009 batch) stayed on in the city after getting extensions.