Five months still left of Shayin’s term, UT seeks panel of names for DC’s post from Haryana govt

The request for the new panel has come early as Shayin’s three-year-long deputation to UT has still five months to go. He had taken charge as DC on August 28, 2012.

Sources said the Haryana government was likely to send a penal of at least three officers within a week’s time. Once the panel is received, the names will be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for final selection.

[related-post]

Special Secretary (Personnel) S B Deepak Kumar confirmed the development and told Newsline that the request for the new panel to the neighbouring state was sent about two weeks ago. “Their response is expected soon,” he said.

While officials involved in the process claimed that it was a routine process, many in the administration felt that seeking the panel from Haryana early was the direct fallout of the recent bureaucratic slugfest between him and senior officials over a number of issues.

Shayin was recently forced by the administration to terminate the services of his ex-PA Poonam Malik from the Chandigarh State Agricultural Marketing Board and Chandigarh Market Committee as her appointment was allegedly against rules.

Even as the ongoing vigilance inquiry confirmed that her appointment as secretary of the Chandigarh Market Committee was in violation of the service rules, the vigilance department headed by the UT Adviser to Administrator has not yet proposed any action against the DC, which was her appointing authority.

Not only this, last week Secretary (Co-operative Societies) V Lalremathranga had sought Shayin’s explanation for wrongly giving three extensions to an inspector of co-operative department even as the FIR was registered against him. Only a committee headed by the Home Secretary is empowered to take a call on the service extension of tainted employees. Officials confirmed that the DC had sought no permission from the administration before giving him an extension.

The DC has remained in the thick of controversies in the past too. A Punjab Civil Services officer, Amandeep Kaur, currently posted as director, CITCO, had levelled allegations of mental harassment against the DC last year.

Sources in the administration said that in case Haryana sent the panel soon, Shayin might not be able to complete his three-year tenure.

As per the set procedure, once the panel is received, the UT Administrator approves it and sends it to MHA, which would then forward it to the Cabinet Appointments Committee for the final nod. The Department of Personnel and Training under the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions would then issue the formal order for inter-cadre deputation of the selected officer.

The post of Chandigarh DC has been routinely filled through a deputation from Haryana for long.