Bhopal, Jun 23: Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed 'competent authority' to dispose of a complaint challenging State Chief Secretary's extension within two weeks time.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by social activist Ajay Dubey and Arun Gurtu Gotru who had challenged six-month extension for Madhya Pradesh's Chief Secretary alleging violation of norms.
The court noted that no representation is submitted to the state government by the petitioner and directed the petitioners to take up the matter with the "competent authority".
Chief Secretary R Parasuram has been granted six months extension from April 1 this year.
"In the facts and circumstances of the case and keeping in view that time of two and half months is left. Petition filed by the petitioners is disposed of with a short direction that petitioners shall submit representation along with copy of the order passed by this court before the competent authority, which shall be considered by the competent authority within a period of two weeks," said an order dated June 13 by the High Court.
The copy of the order was made available to the petitioner on June 21.
"We will give representation to the Government of India to challenge the extension to Chief Secretary," Dubey said.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had early this year sought extension from the Centre for senior IAS officer R Parasuram, who was serving as Chief Secretary in the state, citing his "outstanding track record".
Parasuram was granted six months extension, after approval of the Prime Minister, on January 31.
"There is a violation of All India Services rule which states that extension has to be sought from state government along with a host of formalities and not by a letter of recommendation from the Chief Minister," the petitioner said.
Dubey claimed that the state government did not make any background note in form of a proposal to be sent to the Centre.
"There is no official record of a proposal seeking extension for Chief Secretary but only a letter from the Chief Minister.
"I have already moved a complaint to the Prime Minister to cancel his extension," said Dubey, who has got file notings and relevant documents related to the matter from both the Centre and state by exercising his Right to Information.
He claimed that there was a complaint of alleged corruption filed by him against Parasuram pending with the Economic Offences Wing of the state.
"The State government has not given any certificate claiming that no vigilance enquiry or complaint was pending against the Chief Secretary. It is in violation of a Supreme Court judgement in a case against former Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas," Dubey said.
A member of All India Service (IAS) holding the post of Chief Secretary to a State Government may be given extension of service for a period not exceeding six months on the recommendations made by the State Government concerned with full justification and in public interest, with the prior approval of the Central Government, according to the rules.
