Kamalnathan Committee whose term is to end this month is likely to get an extension of four more months in view of issues still pending before the High Court.
Interestingly along with Mr. Kamalnathan, whose tenure will end on August 31, Chief Secretaries of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are also due to retire on reaching superannuation by month-end.
However, both AP and Telangana governments have already decided to give an extension to their Chief Secretaries while the file seeking extension of Mr. Kamalnathan’s term is under the consideration of the Union Government.
The committee had covered major part of its work but for the allocation of Deputy Superintendents of Police, Deputy Collectors and others which had been pending due to High Court stay orders.
The committee had sent its recommendation on allocation of State-level employees in 151 of 153 departments to GoI and the latter notified 148 departments so far and three are under scrutiny. The pending wings are those of Director, Medical Education and Director, Health.
The committee earlier had sent the status of the work done so far and the issues pending before the High Court to the DoPT. The DoPT, according to sources, is in favour of extending the tenure of the Committee Chairman Kamalnathan by four months till December and the file is with the Prime Minister’s Office.
The committee comprising Chief Secretaries of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Secretaries of State Reorganisation Cells L. Premchandra Reddy, S. Ramakrishna Rao and headed by Chairman Kamalnathan met here on Monday and discussed pending issues in depth.
It was resolved that Chief Secretaries, Mr. Rajiv Sharma of Telangana and Mr.Tucker would request their Advocate Generals to make a joint representation to the High Court to expedite the pending case of Deputy Collectors and DSPs and lift the stay.
The Additional Solicitor General on behalf of Department of Personnel and Training may also make an appeal along with them or separately to dispose the case and facilitate the committee to complete the final allocation.
Though the Chief Commissioners of Land Administration of both the Telugu States had approved the tentative allocation of Deputy Collectors, it could not be notified as the High Court gave a stay. In the case of DSPs, a stay was issued on final allocation.
The committee in its meeting also discussed whether to relieve those DSPs in the tentative allocation list without any objections against them and decided to refer it for legal examination.
The status of Section Officers allotted to Andhra and relieved without waiting for the final allocation by the DoPT also believed to have figured in the meeting.