B. Ashok’s transfer case before CAT: Governor no more a respondent

A time aft the Kerala High Court directed the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) to see the maintainability of petitions filed by elder IAS serviceman B. Ashok, who had challenged the State authorities transferring him from the station of Principal Secretary, Agriculture, and the Agricultural Production Commissioner, the tribunal connected Tuesday deleted the Governor’s sanction arsenic a responsive successful the case.

This was aft Mr. Ashok’s counsel informed the CAT that she did not suggest to gully the litigation to a antithetic level, betwixt the authorities and the Governor, and alternatively preferred to confine to the halfway contented regarding his transfer.

The authorities had filed a preliminary objection earlier the Ernakulam Bench of the CAT connected Monday, stating that the impleading of the Governor arsenic a responsive was constitutionally impermissible and unsustainable successful law. In the contiguous case, the State authorities was the due party, the authorities said.

The High Court held connected Monday that the tribunal had to archetypal determine connected the contented of the Governor being arrayed arsenic a responsive successful the case.

The CAT went connected to admit Mr. Ashok’s plea challenging his assignment arsenic Principal Secretary, Personnel and Administrative Reforms. The tribunal volition perceive the substance and besides a lawsuit pertaining to the aforesaid substance that had been filed earlier it by the Kerala IAS Officers’ Association successful 2023 connected September 29. Till then, the tribunal permitted Mr. Ashok to proceed arsenic the Agricultural Production Commissioner.

In 2023, the Kerala IAS Officers’ Association and 2 IAS officers, including Mr. Ashok, had challenged earlier the CAT the assignment of non-IAS officers successful the cadre posts of IAS personnel, the transportation and posting of IAS officers without the proposal of the Civil Services Board, and besides without adhering to the minimum tenure argumentation specified successful the IAS (Cadre) Rules.