SDO axed, peers say what about DMs
IAS Body downplay the issue
Vijay Swaroop
vswaroop@hindustantimes.com

PATNA : Agitated over the suspension of Nawada SDO after he issued inter-state pass to BJP MLA from Hisua to bring back his daughter stuck at Kota in the lockdown, the Bihar Administrative Service Association (BASA) has demanded similar action against several district magistrates for similar ‘offences’ in their respective districts.

The Association in an emergent meeting held through video conferencing on Wednesday petitioned the chief secretary and demanded immediate revocation of suspension of the Nawada SDO and three other association officials, who were earlier suspended for waterlogging in the state capital.

“BASA demands similar action against district magistrates of Muzaffarpur, Patna, Jehanabad, Bhojpur, Aurangabad, Purnia, etc., who also committed the similar offence. The association also condemns the power delegated by some DMS to other officials, which is against the rules of administrative law. By delegating the power does not mean one can wash away from his responsibility,” said a release issued by BASA and signed by its president Sashank Shekhar Sinha and general secretary Anil Kumar.

The general administration department of Bihar government had on Tuesday issued a notification suspending Anu Kumar, the SDO, Sadar, Nawada district with immediate effect for issuing the pass in favor of Anil Singh, who represents the Hisua assembly segment.

The notification said Kumar has been found guilty of negligence in issuing the pass facilitating inter-state travel, which must not have been issued except in extraordinary circumstances during the lockdown period.

BASA with nearly 1,000 members, as a mark of protest, has decided that its members will bear black badges from April 24 till May 3. “It’s a time of crisis and the Association is with the government. We will decide our future course of action after May 3,” said Sinha.

The association reminded that Bihar chief secretary had written a letter to union home secretary on April 13 requesting action against Kota district magistrate for issuing inter-state pass. “When district magistrates of Bihar have committed similar mistake, why no action is taken against them,” said the BASA officials.

The association demanded that action should be taken against the district magistrates or else the government should immediately revoke the suspension of Nawada Sadar SDO and all three officials suspended for waterlogging in state capital last year. “The action was taken in haste and no explanation was sought from them,” the letter to chief secretary said.

The IAS Association of Bihar tried to downplay the issue.

“Association has not decided upon any stand on this issue. Taking action on any officer, even IAS officer, is privilege of the government and the Association generally does not comment on this unless it feels that any action is grossly unjust and discriminatory,” said IAS Association, Bihar, secretary, Deepak Kumar Singh.