Caught in bind
An additional chief secretary (ACS) is in trouble these days due to his friendship with a retired principal secretary (PS). The reason is that the ACS, besides the PS, has links with a person who has been recently arrested for committing crimes. During an inquiry, it came to light that the retired PS, when in office, had helped the man. The ACS is afraid, thinking that, lest his name should figure in the case.
The ACS who barks at others at the slightest provocation and sings his own praises has helped the person several times. Now, the ACS is pulling out all the stops to get rid of this case. The officer is associated with many a controversial person because of his nature. So, controversy has always dogged this officer, and complaints against him have reached the higher authorities. Yet, that never came in the way of his getting plum posts.
Mending rules
The daughter and son-in-law of a recently retired bureaucrat are preparing for the IAS examination. Both of them are on administrative posts. But, as they were not getting any place for studies, the retired officer has arranged a rest house on a university campus for them. The university staff and orderlies are at their beck and call, that their studies may not be disturbed. Even the request of others for allotment of the rest house is overlooked. The officer has been in-charge of this university for long.
To remain in the university even after his retirement, he has changed many rules. But whenever anyone had come to him to seek any favour, this officer always quoted from the rule book. Now, he himself has set aside those rules to favour his family members. Once he was close to a former chief minister. Currently, he has set up ties with the higher-ups in the government.
Messed-up recruitment
The appointment of the wife of an IAS officer in a department has generated a lot of heat in the corridors of power. She got selected in the department of which the officer is the commissioner. The appointments made in the department have kicked up a row, so much so that the matter has gone to the police station, after certain irregularities have cropped up in the examination for recruitment. And everyone got to know about the appointment of the Sahib’s wife.
There may not have been any irregularity in the selection process, but the controversy may hit the roof in coming days, and the officer who maintains a low profile is afraid of its consequences. To come clean about any blame for the selection of his wife, the officer has begun to give clarifications. Owing to irregularities, the examination may be cancelled. He feels that if the examination is cancelled, and, if he is transferred from the department, it will cost him dear.
Feeling dejected
A principal secretary (PS) who has always been on plum posts has begun to feel despondent about a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The MoU was kept under wraps in the department, and it could see the light of the day only because the PS. Despite this, when a meeting was held in Delhi for the MoU, the PS was not called there. The PS thought that he would accompany the Chief Minister to the meeting, but it did not happen.
Since the PS cannot complain to anybody about it, he kept mum. Besides, the PS is not enjoying his work. Though he has been made in-charge of two important departments, he feels that he was better than what he is today in the department where he was previously working. Since the elections are round the corner, there will be a lot of pressure on the department. So he is tense. The PS thinks that after the elections, he will go to some department that deals with infrastructure.
Hot under the collar
Even before the imposition of the code of conduct for the ensuing elections, an additional chief secretary (ACS) has gone to the Chief Election Commissioner with a complaint. This ACS got a complaint lodged on an issue through an officer of a constitutional department. When the officer could not find a solution, the ACS put up the complaint before the CEC. But the CEC did not take any interest in it.
Though the poll code has not been imposed in the state, the police have begun to arrest criminals, due to fear of the Election Commission (EC). The police have taken some action against a department headed by the ACS. When an officer complained to him about it, the ACS initially pulled him up. After that, he met the officials of the commission. It is said that the commission is not going to give him any relief on the issue. However, some officers are angry about the action being taken by the commission.
Bummed out
A principal secretary (PS) on an important post may fall foul of the government, in case an inquiry into a case should be ordered. The Congress has been complaining about certain irregularities that cropped up in connection with the purchase of certain items. The Congress has demanded a probe into the complaints. In fact, the PS headed the department through which emption was done.
If an inquiry into the gain is held, the name of the PS known for honesty may figure in it, and the Congress may get an opportunity to tear apart the government. A fight between the two departments over getting commission on the items bought blew the lid off the scam. It is heard that the higher authorities warned both the officers. But that may not end the controversy.
