Like musical chair, the current incumbent in the City Police Commissioner’s post will make way for the previous one with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clearing the posting of B.G. Jyothi Prakash Mirji, replacing Raghavendra H. Auradkar.
Mr. Mirji, who vacated the post on the Election Commission’s directive in the run-up to the Legislative Assembly polls, moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on the ground that the EC can only depute and not transfer an official.
Though he and other senior police officers were transferred, the government had kept him without posting as Mr. Mirji had challenged his transfer.
Considering the plea, the CAT transferred the case to the High Court which ruled the case in Mr. Mirji’s favour, directing the government to reinstate him after the elections. Thereafter, Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath moved the file for the Chief Minister’s final decision. Mr. Siddaramaiah signed it and forwarded it to the Department of Public Administrative Reforms (DPAR) to issue the orders.
The DPAR is likely to do so by Monday, failing which it would invite contempt of court.
The CAT, passing the order, also empowered the Police Establishment Board (PEB) to take decisions on the posting of the senior police officers. This means Mr. Mirji could be transferred if the PEB decides to do so.
Department sources said Mr. Auradkar would be sent back to the Home Department where he was likely to resume his duty as Home Secretary, a post he held before taking over as the city police chief.
