Abuse of Power
Punjab Chief Secretary Faces Legal Trouble Over ‘Unauthorized’ Transfer of IAS Officer
Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued contempt notices to both the former and current Chief Secretaries of Punjab for violating its directive regarding the transfer of IAS officer Amit Kumar. The court had explicitly barred his transfer without prior approval, yet he was moved to Chandigarh on deputation.
Amit Kumar, a 2008-batch IAS officer, was appointed as commissioner-cum-appellate authority by the high court to oversee an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of village panchayat lands in Punjab, particularly in Mohali. However, he was later sent on central deputation and currently serves as the Commissioner of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
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During a hearing on Thursday, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel noted that Punjab’s legal counsel did not contest the fact that Kumar’s transfer on October 14, 2024, was carried out without the required approval from the amicus curiae or the court. This move was in direct violation of an interim order issued on May 10, 2018. The counsel also acknowledged that due to this transfer, Amit Kumar had been unable to fulfill his duties as commissioner-cum-appellate authority for the past several months.
The bench directed the former and current Punjab Chief Secretaries to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for violating the court’s order. They have been asked to submit their response before the next hearing, scheduled for March 11, 2025.
Additionally, the court ordered that the complete case file be handed over to the Additional Solicitor General of India, as the Centre has now been made a party to the case.
The case stems from a petition filed by Kuldeep Singh concerning the alleged misappropriation of Shamlat (common village) land in villages surrounding Chandigarh.