‘Random’ transfers of officials detrimental to administration: Former Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Former Meghalaya Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Mukul Sangma took potshots on the present ruling dispensation for the alleged random transfer of officers in the various departments which he described as “detrimental to the government delivery system”. Claiming that during his tenure as Chief Minister such practices were not adopted, Mukul Sangma stated, “I want to urge the Chief Minister and other ministers to stop this practice of ordering random transfers in the interest of the public at large.”

Speaking to a group of reporters, Mukul Sangma claimed to have come to know as to how some officers who had refused to be the henchman of certain ministers have been victimized through transfer orders. Pointing at such developments in the Police department, the Public Works Department (PWD) and other officers at the block levels, Sangma stated, “Look at the trend of transferring officers. Recently, there have been transfers of some PWD officers from the Khasi and Jaintia Hills regions to the Garo Hills region and vice versa. This is especially so with respect to those officers who probably did not comply or succumb to the pressures of the ministers. Such officers are getting transferred and this is a continuing process.” He added, “This ongoing process will jeopardize the entire administrative machinery.”

He cited the cases related to the recent appointments of Block Developmental Officers (BDOs) who cater to the remotest of the remotest areas of the State and who have been shunted in a matter of just two to three months. “Before they (BDOs) get acclimatized with the whole gamut of developmental issues under his jurisdiction, the officer is transferred,” pointed out the Congress leader. He further posed: Are these actions are taken to serve the interest of somebody who wants to do business in certain blocks and they are not able to get the compliance of the officer concerned? Sangma then stated: Under such circumstances, the best solution is to throw out the officer and bring another one probably thinking that the new incumbent would comply to the wishes of the powers that be.

On the transfer of personnel in the Police department, Sangma observed that it would have a serious impact on the administration of justice.“Now in the best interest of justice, the investigation on any case must be completed at the earliest, charge sheets must be filed at the earliest so that justice is not delayed. But such manipulative transfers would seriously hamper the investigation processes. In the long run, such a situation has been created where the entire process of administering justice would get delayed. This is not good; it’s a dangerous trend.”