Mass transfer of 181 revenue officials: Major setback for state as tribunal issues stay

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Administrative Tribunal has stayed the mass transfer of 181 Tahsildars and Senior Superintendents within the Revenue Department. The Tribunal, however, clarified that the stay order will not apply to those officials who have already assumed charge at their new postings in compliance with the government directive.

The interim stay on the Land Revenue Commissioner’s order was issued by Tribunal administrative member N. Vasudevan. The intervention follows petitions highlighting that the mass reshuffle was executed in violation of established guidelines while the general transfer process was actively underway.

In its observation, the Tribunal termed the hurried execution of the transfers illegal, noting that the department failed to publish a draft list or invite feedback and objections from the affected officials before finalising the deployment.

The state government defended the immediacy of the reshuffle, contending that the swift transfers were imperative to effectively coordinate and streamline disaster management, relief, and rescue operations amidst ongoing rain-related calamities. However, the Tribunal rejected this argument, declining to accept the government's justification for bypassing procedural norms.