THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
More than two months after being transferred, the Goa government is yet to relieve three IAS officers from their administration.
In September, the Union Home Ministry had issued transfer orders of IAS Sanjit Rodrigues, Prasad Lolayekar and Swetika Sachan. The three officers were given new postings to Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Delhi, respectively.
However, the officers continue to serve in the Goa administration till date. While Rodrigues is the managing director and chief executive officer of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL), and Secretary of state civil supplies, Lolayekar is Education Secretary and Sachan is the chief executive officer of the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board.
According to highly placed sources, Rodrigues has not been relieved due to pending works under Smart City Mission; the deadline for which is March 2025 set by the Centre. He had begun heading IPSCDL more than a year ago when the state government was in the eye of a storm over the delayed works under the Mission.
On the other hand, Lolayekar has been asked to continue to assist the State in rolling out National Education Policy (NEP), which is currently being implemented in phased manner. However, sources said that there is no clarity as to why Sachan has not been relieved so far.
“The State might face the wrath of the Union Home Ministry if the officers are not relieved in coming days,” sources said.
On the other hand, the two IAS officers Prasanna Acharya and Cheshta Yadav, who were posted to Goa, through the same order by the Ministry, have already resumed new posting. Acharya is appointed as Director of Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communication as well as Director of Printing and Stationery while Yadav is the new Secretary to Tribal Welfare and also director general of GIPARD.
The Supreme Court, in its recent ruling last month, had addressed the growing issue of employees resisting transfer orders and remaining absent from new posting without authorization. The judgment, delivered by a Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Prasanna B. Varale, emphasizes that transfers are an inherent part of government service, and employees must comply or face the consequences of unauthorized absence.
The Court reiterated that transfer if an exigency of service and government employees are required to comply unless specifically exempted by governing provisions.
Employees are permitted to challenge transfer orders legally, but they must do so while complying with the order. In essence, they should join the new post and then pursue available remedies for any grievance.
