Two Punjab IAS Officers Suspended For Notification Dissolving 13,241 Panchayats Before End Of Term

Two senior IAS officers were suspended by the Punjab government following its abrupt reversal on dissolving gram panchayats. The suspensions stemmed from a "technically-flawed" decision.

File photo of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann

Source : PTI

Two senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers have been suspended by the Punjab government in the wake of its sudden reversal on the dissolution of all gram panchayats in the state, news agency PTI reported citing an official order on Thursday (August 31). The about-face, referred to as a "U-turn," triggered the suspension of Dhirendra Kumar Tiwari, Principal Secretary of Rural Development and Panchayats, and Gurpreet Singh Khaira, Director of Rural Development and Panchayats. The government cited a "technically-flawed" decision as the reason for the suspension, signalling the gravity of the situation.

As per an official order, the suspension was enacted under the provisions of rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. While suspended, the officers' headquarters will be in Chandigarh, and they will receive subsistence allowances in accordance with rules, PTI reported. 

This development followed closely after the Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of its decision to withdraw the notification for the dissolution of gram panchayats, a move that was seen as a significant setback for the state administration. The decision was challenged by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Gurjeet Singh Talwandi in a petition.

Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar expressed that the decision to suspend the officers came after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann became aware of technical flaws in the order. Bhullar explained that due to the ongoing flood relief efforts in the state, the operation of revising voter lists, demarcating wards, and implementing a 50-percent reservation for the elections had been temporarily halted.

"The process of revising voter lists, demarcation of wards and implementing a 50-per cent reservation for the elections was very long, but due to the floods in the state, the operation was halted as the officers and employees were engaged in relief efforts," he said in a statement, according to PTI. 

Earlier, the high court was hearing a petition filed by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Gurjeet Singh Talwandi, who was challenging the state government's notification issued on August 10.

The notification will be withdrawn within two days, according to Advocate General Vinod Ghai, who appeared before a bench led by Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha.

The Punjab government dissolved all gram panchayats, panchayat samitis, and zila parishads in an order issued on August 10. The notification stated that elections for panchayat samitis and zila parishads were to be held by November 25 and for gram panchayats by December 31.

The state has 13,241 gram panchayats, 152 block samitis, and 22 zila parishads.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa asked the Mann government why action was not taken against Bhullar.

The responsibility lies with the Panchayat Minister @Laljitbhullar to ensure that the right decisions are being taken in the department. Instead of suspending senior bureaucrats like Dhirendra Tiwari and Gurpreet Singh Khaira, the @AAPPunjab govt should have taken stern action…

— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) August 31, 2023

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national general secretary Tarun Chugh claimed that the AAP government's decision to withdraw its order on panchayat dissolution demonstrated its "unconstitutional" functioning once again, PTI reported. He also accused the Mann administration of "insulting" Punjab's constitutional offices in an "undemocratic and disgraceful" manner.

Bikram Singh Majithia, a senior SAD leader, said the chief minister should fire the panchayat minister.

The decision to dissolve the panchayats was a political move of the @AamAadmiParty & CM @BhagwantMann. If anyone is to be held accountable it should be Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann and Panchayat Minister @Laljitbhullar. Kejriwal, CM and Panchayat Minister shud be dismissed with… pic.twitter.com/MHMsYlwBP0

— Bikram Singh Majithia (@bsmajithia) August 31, 2023