The State government has fixed June 30 as the deadline for the transfer and postings of its employees, not more than 5 per cent of them, with the transfers being strictly in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.
Briefing presspersons after the maiden meeting of the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T.B. Jayachandra said directions would be issued to the heads of all departments to complete the transfer process within the stipulated time. Further, the government was also considering reposting of all the employees of various ranks who were shifted out during the elections following the directions of the Election Commission. A different procedure would however be followed for the employees of the Education and the Health Departments who would be transferred through counselling.
On the demand to transfer non-Indian Police Service officers (who were shifted out during the elections), the members of the Cabinet authorised the Chief Minister, and Minister for Home K.J. George, to take a call since the transfer and posting of police personnel is now vested with the Police Establishment Board. However, all the IPS and the IAS officers who were transferred and who thereafter moved the High Court or the Central Administrative Tribunal and obtained orders have since been put back in their original place of posting and this included the Commissioner of the Bangalore City Police.
In the meanwhile, Mr. Jayachandra will hold discussions with the Advocate-General over the complaints pertaining to recruitments carried out by the Karnataka Public Service Commission. Owing to the complaints, the government has to take a stand on ordering a probe into the irregularities for which it has to collate the evidence and analyse whether there is a prima facie case therein. “We have to take correct and legal steps since the KPSC is a constitutional body”. He said, the State Cabinet has authorised the Chief Minister to take a call on the appointment of a new chairman and a member for the KPSC . The Chairman, Gonal Bhimappa, and a member, Ramakrishna, recently retired. The Cabinet also approved the appointment of retired district judges R. Deshpande and A.C. Vidyadhar as the additional registrars of the Karnataka Lokayukta.
Mr. Jayachandra said the Cabinet discussed the reservation for the posts of president and the vice-president of the Urban Local Bodies for which elections were held a few months ago. The reservation would be on the same lines as the one prepared by the former Minister M.Y. Ghorpade.
The Cabinet also discussed the drinking water crisis in Bangalore and the rural areas of the State. While adequate funds would be released to the deputy commissioners to supply drinking water, in the case of Bangalore, the Chief Minister along with the Ministers concerned of Bangalore and adjoining areas would hold discussions with the offfiicals on the ways and means of augumenting the water supply.
