Alok Kumar Verma, who will take over as Delhi’s new police commissioner when B.S. Bassi retires in less than a week, has an unenviable task ahead. Mr Bassi has bequeathed him quite a few trouble spots. The Delhi Police is facing severe criticism for its inept handling of the JNU row, arising out of the arrest of the university’s students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar for allegedly raising anti-national slogans at an event commemorating the death of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Mr Bassi also received flak for allegedly going slow in taking action against lawyers who indulged in violence in a court complex and are still threatening more. Of course, Mr Bassi’s run-ins with the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government grabbed headlines on almost daily basis. Mr Verma will have to smoothen several ruffled feathers as he begins his tenure.
For Mr Bassi it does seem that things have not panned out as he may have wished. For his failure to manage the JNU row, he was dropped from the list for the post of information commissioner in Central Information Commission by a selection panel led by the Prime Minister. He was hoping to be named the Central Information Commissioner, but that post was given to former defence secretary R.K. Mathur. Still, he is not one to fade away so soon and it’s likely he will get his real wish after some time. So watch this space.
IAS lose ground
While many know of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s well-known penchant for working with babus rather than mantris, it’s a surprise that the Indian Administrative Service officers are not making a beeline for crucial positions at the Centre. On the contrary, there seems to be an exodus of sorts to their respective state cadres! While some IAS babus opted for premature repatriation, others were sent back to their parent states by the Modi sarkar, but without a matching number showing willingness to come on Central deputation.
The resultant vacuum, however, is a boon for the non-IAS officials who are now getting to occupy joint secretary-level positions in the Centre. Apparently out of 260 recent such appointments, at least 100 positions have been bagged by non-IAS officers in key ministries such as home, defence, petroleum, power, road transport, etc. The government prefers to explain this trend as “a matter of suitability for the post” and “availability”. The latter, of course, seems to be the prime reason.
Why has Central deputation suddenly become a hot potato for IAS officers? Could it be distaste for the new, more vigorous work culture evolved by the Modi sarkar, which demands efficiency and hard work from the babus? If so, why are the other services not complaining!
Mixed signals
By giving Karnal Singh, Union Territory cadre IPS officer, a six-month extension as acting chief of the Enforcement Directorate, the government seems to be indicating that it is content to let ED run the way it is. Many expected Mr Singh to see a new incumbent or Mr Singh being himself confirmed in his additional role. But the wait has now begun on what happens next.
The ED is involved in investigating money laundering and since “black money” has become a highly charged political issue, the government’s decision is surprising given the agency’s pivotal role in the government’s efforts to curb black money. But the situation is not new. In fact, the ED has been without a full-time chief for two years. In 2014, Mr Singh’s predecessor Rajan S. Katoch was made secretary, ministry of heavy industries, but asked to continue as ED chief.
Though Mr Singh is a special director in ED he was given additional charge, for two three-month spells. This is then his third extension in the post. Though in the past the post was given to Indian Revenue Service officers, in recent years the post has usually been occupied by an IAS officer. Mr Singh is the first IPS officer to lead the agency.
