'Centre has over-riding powers in IPS transfers'

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, JULY 29. The Union Law Minister, Mr. Arun Jaitley, has asserted that the Centre has ``over-riding powers'' in the transfer of IPS officers, with or without the concurrence of the State Government concerned.

In an informal chat with The Hinduhere today, he referred to the Centre requisitioning the services of three IPS officers from Tamil Nadu cadre - the Chennai Police Commissioner, Mr. K. Muthukaruppan; the Joint Commissioner, Mr. S. George, and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Christopher Nelson - for being posted in the Cabinet Secretariat and said a proviso in the IPS cadre rules provides for such requisition. And under this proviso, the Centre can over-ride any objection by the State Government.

When it was pointed out to the Minister that the three officers planned to move the Chennai Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal challenging the transfer, he said ``the Centre will file a caveat and contest the case''.

The Tamil Nadu Government has decided not to relieve the officers and is expected to send its reply to the Union Government by Wednesday.

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