The Centre’s proposed amendment to the Indian Administrative Service (Cadre) Rules, 1954, will take away the power of states to override New Delhi’s request seeking officers on central deputation. The proposed amendment says that the Centre can summon IAS and IPS officers and send back them to the state at its will. At present, the state government has to permit an IAS or IPS officer to go on central deputation. The Centre is attempting to bring this blatant amendment to exert control over elected state governments. The proposed amendment is a bid to subvert the State’s authority guaranteed by the Constitution. The Centre’s move is set to put it in a collision course with the States, particularly those ruled by the Opposition. The proposed amendment is against the spirit of cooperative federalism and the amendment unilaterally mandates the State government to make such a number of officers available for deputation as prescribed under the Central Deputation Reserve. Moreover, the Centre could weaponise the bureaucracy against an elected State government.
