CAT asks Kerala govt not to transfer and appoint IAS officers without convening Civil Service Board's meeting

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) issued an interim order on Monday directing the Kerala government not to issue orders of appointment, transfer and posting of IAS officers without convening the Civil Services Board’s meeting.

The CAT bench here comprising Judicial Member Justice Sunil Thomas and Administrative Member K V Eapen issued the order on a petition filed by the Kerala IAS Officers’ Association alleging issuance of frequent transfer and posting orders of IAS officers without the recommendation of the Civil Services Board.

”There will be a direction to the…State of Kerala not to issue orders of appointment, transfer and posting in respect of IAS cadre posts without the convening of and recommendations of the Civil Services Board,” the interim order read.

The tribunal noted that there was no explanation offered as to why the Civil Services Board’s meeting was not convened. ”Necessarily, it has to be presumed that the allegations of the applicants on facts is, prima facie, established as not disputed,” the tribunal observed.

The association submitted that the average tenure of cadre officers has slipped to way below one year against the prescribed minimum period of two years, even in sensitive posts like district collector, secretary to government and head of department of critical departments due to non-convening of the board.

”A minimum, reasonable tenure, which is a prerequisite for minimum satisfactory performance, is not adhered to,” the association claimed.

The tribunal has now posted the matter for further hearing on January 10.