Mumbai confidential: All ‘Acting’

The winter session of the Assembly, which is to start soon, will focus attention on another “acting” functionary.

Sanjay Pandey is acting Director-General of Police, Maharashtra -- the state is yet to take a call on the UPSC-recommended panel. (PTI/File)

Snarky remarks are doing the rounds about how the two most senior officials in the state are “acting” — they do not hold full charge of their posts. Sanjay Pandey is acting Director-General of Police, Maharashtra — the state is yet to take a call on the UPSC-recommended panel, and Debashish Chakraborty recently took charge as acting chief secretary after Sitaram Kunte stepped down upon his retirement. The winter session of the Assembly, which is to start soon, will focus attention on another “acting” functionary. Since Nana Patole stepped down as Speaker to take charge of the Maharashtra Congress early this year, Narhari Dhirwal has been the acting Speaker.

Coincidence Or Cue?

After the state cabinet took a decision on November 10 to add nine wards to the existing 227 in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari sat on the approval for promulgating the ordinance for this. The state then took another decision on November 29 to increase the seats in the Zilla Parishads, but this time decided not to use the ordinance route and instead introduce the Bill in the winter session. On the same day, Koshyari gave his assent for the wards ordinance. In political circles, several are wondering if it was just coincidence that the Governor’s approval came on the same day, or whether he read a cue in the government’s decision not to approach him again and duly signed the file.

Long Wait?

Four posts of additional chief secretary in the state have lapsed and fresh permissions have to be taken from the Centre to regularise and add these back. It may be a long wait for officers of the 1990 batch of the IAS who are due for promotion.