In the midst of the clamour for a CBI probe into the death of IAS officer D.K. Ravi, one fact that seems to have lost attention is Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s admission, on the floor of the House, that in 2014 the officer was transferred from Kolar district “because of a request from his father-in-law”.
While the Chief Minister made the statement to defend the government from allegations of “political pressure” behind Ravi’s transfer, senior officials point out that it is a vindication that officials are often transferred “for arbitrary reasons”.
It is to crack down on such transfers that every State government is mandated to form a Civil Services Board (CSB), headed by the Chief Secretary, as per the rules framed by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Central government, in January 2014 following a Supreme Court order. But Karnataka is yet to constitute a CSB.
Interestingly, Karnataka was among the first to announce the framing of the board to recommend posting, transfer and disciplinary action related to IAS, IPS and IFoS officers. Executive orders on constituting the board were issued on January 31, 2014.
But ironically, DPAR Secretary Sanjiv Kumar, who issued the order, came under criticism from politicians for “bypassing the State Cabinet”. Ministers argued that a decision on CSB could be taken only after a thorough discussion in the Cabinet or the legislature.
Subsequently, the order was “kept in abeyance” and the State formed a sub-committee to look into this issue in March 2014, and nothing seems to have moved since.
“Karnataka is in contempt of Supreme Court in not forming the board and continuing to indulge in such arbitrary transfers,” said an IAS officer.
Cases handed over to CBI
1988 : The case of murder of Kerala advocate Rasheed, by the Janata Dal government, headed by Ramakrishna Hegde.
1993 : Classik Computer case, by the Congress government, headed by M. Veerappa Moily.
2001 : The case of murder of Chittaranjan, BJP MLA for Bhatkal, by the Congress government, headed by S.M. Krishna.
2013 : Case of alleged rape and murder of Soujanya from Dakshina Kannada district, by the Congress government of Siddaramaiah.
2013 : Case of illegal iron ore exports from seven ports in Karnataka and neighbouring States, by the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah
