The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is growing increasingly frustrated as the approval of key staff appointments, including personal assistants (PAs) and officers on special duty (OSDs), remains stalled in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). According to a source cited by The Free Press Journal, the delay has hindered ministers' ability to carry out their administrative duties effectively.
Several senior ministers, including Uday Samant, Shambhuraj Desai, Sanjay Rathod and Gulabrao Patil, are among those affected, as their recommended staff members await clearance.
On Tuesday, Shiv Sena ministers raised concerns over staff appointments at the Maharashtra cabinet meeting. Even after two months, ministerial offices have not been able to appoint PAs, personal secretaries and OSDs. Recommendation letters are pending at the CMO.
However, sources stated that the appointments have been delayed due to the screening process initiated by the CMO.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that only officers with a clean record, without corruption charges or ongoing departmental inquiries would be given priority for appointments. He assured that the process would be completed soon, and appointment orders would be issued at the earliest, sources said. During the discussion on this issue, officials present in the cabinet meeting were asked to leave the hall.
Some ministerial staff members have been serving in various departments since 2014, yet their appointments remain stalled. The CMO has assigned the responsibility of screening candidates applying for positions in ministers’ offices to IAS officer Shrikar Pardeshi and Chandrashekhar Vaze, the OSD to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The delay is due to the new appointment process introduced by the CMO, which requires comprehensive background checks of officers before they are assigned to ministers.
