An IPS marries an IAS; applies for cadre transfer to Uttarakhand; MHA declines; IAS spouse makes fresh bids in DoPT, and…

IT’S a story about an IPS-IAS couple wanting to live together after their marriage but got it “denied” because of a maze of sarkari rules and procedures. Here it goes. Ram Chandra Rajquru, a 2013 batch IPS officer wanted to change his cadre from Bihar to Uttarakhand on the grounds of marriage to Uttarakhand cadre IAS Ms Ranjana. But in December 2014, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) declined the request of the IPS officer citing Bihar government’s denial to issue a no-objection certificate. But on Monday, a panel headed by DoPT secretary Saniav Kothari took up the case again as…
a fresh application of Rajguru’s transfer to Uttarkhand cadre was now made by his wife Ranjana, a Uttarakhand cadre IAS. It was not an easy case as home ministry (through communication No. I-11014/10/2014-IPS.IV dated 15/12/2014) had earlier informed that the cadre change of Rajguru was denied due to declining of "No objection" by the government of Bihar. So, Kothari-headed panel now “desired to seek further clarification from MHA”. After all, the MHA is the cadre controlling authority of IPS. In this case, things would have probably been easier had the IAS spouse wanted to get her cadre transferred to Bihar!
31-year-old Rajguru is an engineer-turned IPS officer. According to DoPT records, Ranjana is 34 years old and belongs to 2010 batch IAS. She did MA in Sanskrit before getting into IAS.
The Centre has however given in-principle approval of cadre transfer of Ms Umamaheswari R, 2013 batch UP cadre IAS from Uttar Pradesh cadre to Madhya Pradesh cadre on the grounds of marriage with her batch-mate Frank Noble A, (2013 batch MP cadre IAS), as it’s “covered under the rules”, the meeting held under the chairmanship of Kothari said. The comments of the state governments concerned have been sought and are awaited. The panel “agreed” the proposal in principle and directed that after receipt of the comments of both the state governments and the vigilance clearance, the proposal may be put up for the approval of secretary (personnel).
Also, the panel found that the proposal of cadre change of 2014 batch Uttarakhand cadre IAS Ms Aanchal Sood from Uttarakhand to Maharashtra cadre on the grounds of marriage with Nimit Goyal, 2014 batch IPS, is well under the rules. In this case too, the government just waits for comments of the state governments of Uttarakhand and Maharashtra before making the formal announcement of cadre-change.
Meanwhile, the Kothari-headed August 31 meeting also took a few other decisions on inter-cadre deputations of officers. Here are 3 such cases:
a) So far as the proposal of inter-cadre deputation of Ms Damyanti Dohre, an UP cadre IAS from Uttar Pradesh cadre to Uttarakhand cadre is concerned, the panel observed that “it is not a case of inter cadre deputation but it is the case of overstay without the approval of competent authority”. The panel directed that the officer may be asked “to report back to her parent cadre immediately”.
b) In case of inter cadre deputation of Aiav Yadav, a 2010 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS from Tamil Nadu cadre to Uttar Pradesh cadre, the panel observed that the officer being of 2010 batch “has not completed required nine years' service in his parent cadre”. The proposal was earlier not recommended by the committee in its meeting held on January 14, 2015 and the case was again put up in the committee meeting dated July 2, 2015 wherein it was decided by the committee again not to recommend the case of the officer. The panel reiterated that the proposal is not covered under the policy.
c) In another case of inter cadre deputation, (of Pradeep Kumar Jha, 2006 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS from Manipur-Tripura cadre to Bihar cadre on grounds of extreme hardship), the panel observed that the officer being of 2006 batch has completed required nine years service in his parent cadre. The comments of governments of Manipur and Bihar would be crucial in this case.