‘Why five IAS officers in key posts after retirement?’

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has directed the central and the state governments to file counter affidavits (replies) within three weeks as to why five IAS officers, who have attained the age of superannuation, are still working in important posts.

A division bench of chief justice Dr DY Chandrachud and justice SN Shukla gave this order on a PIL filed by a local journalist. The officers are: Shambhu Singh Yadav, SK Raghuvanshi, Ajay Agarwal, Prabhat Mittal and Mukesh Mittal. The petitioner alleged that continuation of these officers on significant posts of the state government was bad in the eyes of the law.

The court said the issue raised in the PIL was serious enough to warrant a response by the UP chief secretary. It directed the chief secretary to file a counter-affidavit within three weeks. Specifically, the counteraffidavit should clarify the provisions under which these officers continued working upon their superannuation from the IAS. The court also asked whether any reference was made to the union government. It also sought to know the grounds on which they have been engaged after superannuation.

The counter-affidavit shall also set out in a tabulated form a complete list of the officers who have been re-employed after their superannuation from the IAS by the UP government, the dates of their superannuation, and the posts held, the court ordered. It directed that the matter be listed on November 26.