Concerned over the frequent transfers of district heads, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] on Friday said no system could deliver if top civil servants were transferred without notice, and favoured a minimum security of tenure for judging their performance.

"One major issue which has arisen is the security of tenure of key functionaries like district collectors and superintendents of police," Dr Singh said, addressing the Second National Conference of District Collectors in New Delhi.

His comments come a day after the district magistrates of Siwan and Gopalganj in Bihar were transferred before they could complete their tenure.

• Buta under fire for DMs' transfer

Siwan District Magistrate C K Anil and his Gopalganj counterpart K K Pathak were in the eye of a storm for ordering the externment of Rashtriya Janata Dal members of Parliament, Mohammed Shahabuddin and Sadhu Yadav.

"I do recognise you are entitled to ask for this. No system in the government could deliver if people are changed without notice. Short tenure does not produce desired results," Dr Singh said.

The Prime Minister said the Centre on its own cannot move on this issue and has to work in tandem with the state governments.

"I do propose to bring this subject in the National Development Council as an integral part of improving the quality of administration and making it more transparent. It is necessary that our civil servants be entitled to a minimum security of tenure so that they can be judged on the basis of the task assigned to them," Dr Singh said.