Ashok Khemka among 9 IAS officers transferred in Haryana

Sources said that a minister in the Manohar Khattar government was “not happy” with Ashok Khemka’s style of functioning and wanted him moved out.

The  Haryana government has issued transfer and posting orders for nine IAS officers, including Ashok Khemka, and one HCS officer.
Khemka, who was holding charge as Transport Commissioner and Secretary, Transport Department, was transferred today for the 46th time in his career. He was posted as Secretary and Director General in the Archaeology and Museums Department, a posting that is considered defunct among bureaucratic circles.

Sources said that a minister in the Khattar government was “not happy” with Khemka’s style of functioning and wanted him moved out.
Khemka had claimed victimisation by the previous Congress government after he brought to the fore land deals between Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and realty giant DLF. He was brought into the mainstream by the BJP government when he was moved from archives department to transport.

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A couple of days ago, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij had openly supported Khemka in a tweet — a first by any minister of the Haryana government.

Meanwhile, S S Dhillon, who enjoyed coveted postings during the previous Congress government in Haryana, seems to have found favour with the current government as well. The Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism and Archaeology and Museums Departments, has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary, Transport and Civil Aviation Department.

A confidant of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Dhillon got plum postings during the Congress’s 10-year regime.