MP Govt Changed Rules to Appoint Former IAS Officer as Chief of Good Governance School: RTI Report

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government changed recruitment rules apparently to appoint a former IAS officer as the head of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Good Governance and Policy Analysis, according to RTI documents.

R Parasuram, a 1978-batch IAS (retired) officer, was appointed as the chief secretary of the state on April 30, 2012. His tenure was extended by six months, till September 2013, beyond the date of his superannuation on March 31, 2013.

Parasuram took over as the State Election Commissioner, a Constitutional post, from October 1, 2013, at the age of 60. His tenure was for six years or until 66 years of age.

Interestingly, on December 26, 2018, Ashok Barnwal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Kamal Nath wrote to Parasuram seeking his approval for becoming chief of the good governance school.

To which, Parasuram on the same day wrote to both the chief minister and Barnwal giving his approval for the post.

"A new government has formed under your leadership in the state. I will work with commitment to further the government's good governance policy in case I am given a chance to work at the post," Parasuram said in a letter to the chief minister in Hindi.

He, also on the same day, wrote to Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel resigning from the post due to "personal reasons". Parasuram took over as the Director General of Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Good Governenace and Policy Analysis with effect from January 1 this year.

The state government then changed rules to pave way for the entry of Parasuram, now 66. It removed the age bar of 65 years from the recruitment rule, according to the documents.

A person is usually appointed to the post of DG of the good governance school for three years or until 65 years of age, as per an official order a copy of which was received in response to an RTI query filed by anti-corruption activist Ajay Dubey.

Not only this, the state government appointed outgoing chief secretary B P Singh as the State Election Commissioner from January 1. Singh's name was cleared for the appointment by the chief minister on December 27, four days ahead of his retirement on December 31.

"The lightning hurry shown by the state government in processing these appointments shows that even Constitutional posts are influenced by politicians. I will challenge the appointment of the State Election Commissioner and also the chief of the good governance school in the court," Dubey said.