Guv queries Hooda govt on controversial appointments

Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki has sought response from Bhupinder Singh Hooda government on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s demand for cancellation of recent controversial appointments by the chief minister.

The memorandum of BJP submitted to the governor on July 30 has been forwarded to the state government seeking comments on the same. The state government has been asked to submit its comments within 15 days, a senior Haryana Raj Bhawan official told PTI.

In a memorandum submitted to the newly-appointed governor, the BJP had demanded cancellation of appointments of two state information commissioners and three Commissioners of Haryana Right to Service Commission, calling them illegal and unconstitutional.

Hooda had courted controversy by administering the oath of office to these officials barely an hour after the new governor took charge on July 28. Accusing Hooda government of not following rules and proper procedures in making appointments, BJP had said."

As per the Constitution, the letter of appointments should have been issued before administering oath. But the Hooda government did not bother about it."

The BJP had also sought registration of a first information report against the then Chief Secretary S C Chaudhary for allegedly forcing a senior Indian Administrative Service officer Pradeep Kasni to do "wrong things" pertaining to appointments.

However, Chaudhary had maintained that there was no illegality in making the appointments and in administering the oath to them.

The names of the new appointees were cleared by previous Governor Jagan Nath Pahadia on July 25, on the last day of his tenure. The two members of SIC who were administered oath by Hooda include Shiv Raman Gaur, a retired IAS officer of Haryana cadre, who had been re-employed by the state government as Adviser (Health) and Rekha Rani, a government school teacher and wife of Hooda's political adviser Virender Singh.

Those who have been administered Oath of Commissioners of Right to Service Commission, Haryana, included Sarban Singh, who took premature retirement from the IAS, Amar Singh, an excise and taxation department officer and husband of a Judge in Punjab and Haryana high court and Sunil Katyal, who was posted in the Haryana's advocate general's office.

In the file notings, principal secretary, administrative Reforms Pradeep Kasni wrote that no appointment letters could be issued as the persons recommended, including the two SICs, as they were holding an office of profit at the time of their appointment. Notwithstanding the controversy, Hooda on Friday administered oath to the chairman of Right to Service Commission S C Chaudhary, who retired as state's chief secretary a day earlier.

Besides Chaudhary, Hooda administered the oath of office to the newly appointed member, General (Retd), Virender Singh Tonk.