Kolkata, March 13 – Amid recent controversies over protocol violations during President Droupadi Murmu's visit to the Darjeeling district in West Bengal last week to address an International Santal Conclave, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has requested one officer from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and one officer from the Indian Police Service (IPS) from the district for central deputation.
The two officers are the current district magistrate of Darjeeling, Manish Mishra, and the commissioner of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police, C. Sudhakar.
According to an insider at the secretariat, a communication on this matter has already reached the state secretariat at Nabanna from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday.
Incidentally, the state government has already relieved Mishra of his duties as district magistrate of Darjeeling. Sunil Agarwal, the former special secretary to the North Bengal Development Department, has taken over as the new district magistrate.
According to rules, since the President is the constitutional head of the country, any negligence in her security or protocol allows the Union Government to seek officers on central deputation, even overriding objections from the state government.
The Supreme Court has upheld the validity of Rule 6(1) of the IPS (Cadre) Rules, 1954, under which the Union Government retains the authority to override a state's decision on the transfer and deputation of IPS officers, if necessary. If a state government refuses to release a selected officer for central deputation, the officer can be barred from such deputation for five years.
Such developments can hinder the career growth of the concerned IPS officer, as at least two years of central deputation is mandatory for officers of the 2011 batch or later to become eligible for empanelment as Inspector General.
The President attended the International Santal Conclave in Siliguri on March 7. However, there were complaints of protocol violations during her visit, and even the President herself expressed mild dissatisfaction over the matter.
There were also allegations that protocol was not followed regarding her security.