IAS Cadre Rules Amendment: Mamata Protests Centre’s ‘Draconian’ Proposal

Kolkata: Describing the Centre’s proposed changes to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) cadre rules as ‘draconian’, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to withdraw the draft amendment.

According to the proposal to amend the IAS (Cadre) Rules, 1954, the Union government will be able to post IAS officers on central deputation, bypassing reservations of state governments.

Mamata pointed out that the proposed amendment goes against the “foundation of our federal policy and the basic structure of Constitutional scheme”.

This is the second time in a span of seven days that the Bengal CM has written to the PM.

The Trinamool Congress chief, in her latest letter, made references to her previous communication and stated that since then the Central government had “accentuated its stand” and its revised draft is taking the matter to “non-federal extremes”.

Mamata wrote that if the IAS (Cadre) Rules, 1954 are amended, it will create a “fear psychosis” among officers and impact their performance.

The Union government wants to insert a provision in Rule 6 of IAS (Cadre) Rules, 1954, which states that any IAS officer could be posted on central deputation with the concurrence of concerned state government.

Keeping this part of the rule intact, the Centre has proposed to add: “Provided that each state government shall make available for deputation to the central government, such number of eligible officers of various levels to the extent of the central deputation reserve prescribed under regulations referred to in Rule 4 (1), adjusted proportionately by the number of officers available with the state government concerned vis-a-vis the total authorised strength of the State Cadre at a given point of time.”