Goel Vs Chawla: A saga of post-retirement competition

IS THERE a seniority post retirement? After the government decided to name former finance secretary and 1973 batch retired IAS Ashok Chawla as the chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), two CCI members HC Gupta and Anurag Goel are learnt to have expressed their discomfort as the appointment would let pass their seniority. Gupta and Goel are retired IAS officers of 1971 and 1972 batch respectively, and if Chawla is appointed as chairman, they have to report to a junior officer! The post of CCI chairman has been lying vacant since Dhanendra Kumar demitted office on completion of 65 years of age on June 5, 2011.

The issue has been highlighted by Pradeep Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS who has argued that since the members are appointed post-retirement, the principle of seniority should cease to exist. Mehta himself was running for the chairmanship of the commission in 2005.

Here are the excerpts of an open letter written by Mehta to Anurag Goel.

“Dear Shri Goel,

Greetings!

With reference to the subject, I write this appeal to you as part of my duties under Article 51A of the Constitution of India (spirit of inquiry and reform so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour etc.) and as someone closely associated with the evolution of the competition regime and the institutions involved in promoting a healthy competition culture in India.

I believe that following the likely appointment of Shri Ashok Chawla as the new Chairman of CCI you may wish to resign as he is one batch behind you in the IAS…First of all, seniority is an issue when you or he were still in service and the same cannot be carried forward as a legacy forever, and particularly in post-retirement jobs such as at the CCI etc. Personally, while there are merits in the seniority system, I find the same repugnant, because it does not recognize merit.

However, this is not only my view but several others, who believe, that once you have retired from service, and sought appointment as a Member ardently, the seniority principle is exhausted. Having interacted with Shri Chawla for many years, I am confident that he will make an excellent skipper. I am aware that you were also a contender for the Chairmanship but the selection committee in its wisdom weighed in favour of Shri Chawla, as they did in your case when you sought the appointment as a Member.”

Yet another netagiri Vs babudom: Should Indian politicians deserve a standing ovation from bureaucrats?

THERE is nothing unusual about politicians having a grudge against cushy bureaucratic jobs as civil servants are ever-green in corridors of power and need not go to masses for seeking fresh mandate. But the recent set of instructions for Indian babus, particularly the bizarre fiat of the Rajasthan government that bureaucrats must stand up to receive an elected representative, read politician, is going too far. The directive issued by principal secretary of the administrative reforms and co-ordination department of the Rajasthan government said if any MLA or MP drop in without an appointment, the bureaucrat must them a priority. Also, civil servants are asked to invite local representatives to all the official functions organized in the area he represents, and the seat for the politician should be reserved till the end of the function. As babu blogger mentioned in a post dated August 7, 2009, that Indian political masters recently imposed a set of additional instructions on how officers should behave with the Members of Parliament. Read, “Netagiri & babudom: A new set of instructions issued to help officers communicate with MPs”. Also, politicians from Goa recently criticized their bureaucrats as inefficient and non-cooperative. Tensions reached such a stage that the government of Goa began consultation with the Central government to create a separate cadre for the state of Goa only. Read, “Why do Goan Netas hate babus? State politicians demand separate IAS, IPS cadre only for Goa” posted on August 11, 2009. Also read, “My Take: Low Level European Civil Servants Lead In Brand-Building Of Europe’s Bureaucracy” posted on June 30, 2009. Action & Appointments a) Arvind Mehta, a 1984 batch Himachal cadre IAS officer has been appointed as joint secretary in the department of commerce, in the pay band of Rs 37400-67000 (PB-4) with a grade pay of Rs 10,000 for a period of 5 years. b) Rita Sharma, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS and secretary department of rural development will hold the additional charge of the post of secretary, department of drinking water supply for a period of three months with effect from September 1, 2009. c) Bhaskar Chatterjee, a 1975 batch Orissa cadre IAS, and presently principal adviser, Planning Commission has been appointed as secretary, department of public enterprises in the ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises. d) R Bandyopadhyay, a 1974 batch IAS West Bengal cadre IAS, and presently secretary, department of public enterprises has been appointed as secretary, ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) in place of Anurag Goel, a 1972 batch UP cadre IAS. Mr Goel will now become Member, Competition Commission of India (CIC). babu blogger wrote it on August 3, 2009 that Mr Goel would be a CIC Member. Read, "Post-retirement plan for MCA secretary Anurag Goel & personnel secretary Rahul Sarin firmed up in advance"

Post-retirement plan for MCA secretary Anurag Goel & personnel secretary Rahul Sarin firmed up in advance

TWO secretaries to government India, Anurag Goel of ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) and Rahul Sarin of ministry of personnel, have already charted out their post-retirement engagements. Mr Goel, a 1972 batch UP cadre IAS, is joining Competition Commission of India (CCI) as a Member and Mr Sarin, a 1974 batch Jharkhand cadre IAS, will join as a Member of Competition Appellate Tribunal, a newly-constituted appellate to which appeals against the CCI’s order can be made. M L Tayal, a 1976 batch Haryana cadre IAS and currently the principal secretary to the Haryana chief minister, may also become a CCI Member. According to sources with direct knowledge of the developments, appointment committee of cabinet (ACC) has already given nod to those appointments. Mr Goel will join the CCI only in November this year after his retirement from the government. Mr Sarin may join next month as he is retiring in the end of this month. For the record, Anurag Goel, who is an MSc in physics, completed a year-long Pearson Programme from Canada in 1988 besides attending a short-term training session in USA and completing an eight-week-long course on government administration in Japan. Mr Sarin did an MSc on administrative studies from the University of York in UK in addition to participating in a two-week-long programme called Leaders in Development from USA.