Soon after taking charge as Chief Minister, Charanjit Singh Channi made several key changes in Punjab bureaucracy which has now led to chaos among the officials. Amid reshuffle, many IAS and IPS officers have sought central deputation.
Former Punjab chief secretary, IAS Vini Mahajan, her husband former Punjab Director General of police Dinkar Gupta and DGP Prabodh Kumar are the three big names among the officials who had sought Central deputation.
Notably, former DGP Dinkar Gupta decided to proceed on leave as the new government was looking forward to replacing him. Now, 1988 batch IAS, Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota has been appointed as officiating DGP and most probably will be announced the new DGP.
Former Punjab chief secretary Vini Mahajan was replaced by IAS Anirudh Tewari days after Charanjit Channi took oath as CM.
The former head of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing cases, DGP Prabodh Kumar is learnt to be a critic of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa.
Amid reports that Randhawa was now a strong contender for Home portfolio, therefore DGP Kumar has written to the state government to make him available for central deputation.
Besides these, several IAS and IPS officers who have close ties with Capt Amarinder Singh camp, as well as BJP, are also trying the same.
“Usually such bureaucratic chaos is witnessed when the government is changed. But in Congress, this is happening as both party leaders and bureaucrats were divided, with some favouring Capt Amarinder while others Navjot Sidhu”, said a senior party leader.
Central deputation, formerly regarded as a definite path to promotion had almost lost its appeal for Punjab's IAS and IPS officials as many preferred to stay in the state only. However, the change of guard has forced them to seek this long-forgotten path.
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Meanwhile, this chaos among the state officials can have a major impact on government functioning as the code of conduct is most likely to be imposed by December. The new administration in Punjab is left with just around 90 days. This major reshuffle could disrupt the development projects in the state.