Documents show top politicians have been brazenly influencing plum postings of govt officials. Why? Your guess
 | | CRUSADER: Anil Galgali | Want a transfer to a more lucrative BMC post? Contact your nearest neta. That seems to be the way to go, as revealed by this RTI plea.
According to the response to an RTI plea filed by activist Anil Galgali (a copy of which is with this paper), recommendations for transfer to various BMC departments were made by ruling ministers, former ministers, MPs, MLAs, among others.
In the last three years, most of the recommendation requests made by politicians are on behalf of BMC engineers and sub engineers, who are either keen to get postings and transfer to the Building Proposal Department (BPD), Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) or Road Construction Department of BMC.
In that period, 64 requests were made to transfer/post engineers and sub engineers in the above departments and most of the recommendation letters were from NCP and Congress leaders, added Galgali.
"Such political interference will only affect the system. Good and deserving candidates will be deprived of their rightful postings and this will only encourage more corruption," said Galgali.
Our Influentials
 |  | | Senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi, had written a letter to then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh recommending the transfer of D M Suryavanshi, sub engineer (civil), BMC, to SRA department from BPD. | Foreign Minister S M Krishna (then an MP), had written to then CM Deshmukh recommending to transfer a physically handicapped sub engineer G G Masali, from road construction department to BPD. |
 |  | | Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal, as state Public Works Department minister, wrote to Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak, asking to transfer Deepak Kulkarni, assistant engineer to the BPD in Kandivli. | State Finance Minister Sunil Tatkare had made recommendations to the BMC chief for transferring two senior engineers of BMC. |
The reco letters
Among those leaders who have made such recommendations are senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi, who had written a letter dated May 23, 2008 to then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh (copy with this paper), recommending the transfer of D M Suryavanshi, sub engineer (civil), BMC, to SRA department from BPD. He even requested Deshmukh to "look into the matter personally and seriously and instruct concerned authorities to transfer Suryavanshi as a special case with immediate effect without any delay."
 | | Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal, as state PWD minister, wrote this letter to BMC chief Jairaj Phatak in July 2008 asking to transfer Deepak Kulkarni, a BMC assistant engineer, to the Building Proposal Department in Kandivli |
In response, Joint Secretary Y K Chowdhari from the CM's Secretariat wrote a letter to Jogi dated June 4, 2008 (copy with this paper), stating that his request has been sent to the concerned departments for necessary action.
Foreign Minister S M Krishna (then an MP), had written to then CM Vilasrao Deshmukh and forwarded an application received from his colleague D K Shivakumar, MLA from Kanakapura Constituency, asking to transfer a physically handicapped sub engineer G G Masali, from road construction department to BPD.
Another recommendation came from present Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal, who as state Public Works Department minister, wrote to Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak in July 2008 asking to transfer Deepak Kulkarni, assistant engineer to the BPD in Kandivli.
Some leaders have recommended one person to as many as five different ministers and officials requesting to initiate necessary transfer/posting. For instance, NCP leader Sanjay Patil pitched for Vivek Gadre, a senior BMC engineer and wrote a series of recommendation letters to leaders including the CM and Dy CM.
State Finance Minister Sunil Tatkare had made similar recommendations to the BMC chief for transferring two senior engineers of BMC.
A note dated May 5, 2009 was marked to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and to present Municipal Commissioner S S Kshatriya, who was then principal secretary to the Chief Minister. The writer of the note was making recommendations about S R Badve, who was due for promotion from the post of Executive Engineer in Planning department to DY Chief Engineer; the request was to post him in BPD in Bandra (W).
Kshatriya had made necessary recommendations on the note and forwarded it to then BMC Commissioner Jairaj Phatak. Kshatriya was not available for comment, the operator at his bungalow said that he was out of Mumbai and his mobile was not reachable.
Senior officer-bearers of NCP and Congress said their leaders are compelled to oblige such requests as most requests come from party workers and leaders cannot refuse them. However, they clarified that recommendations do not mean that there is any obligation on the concerned department heads to do the needful.
| The Other Side | | Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal
"Usually I come across many requests seeking recommendations from people which could either be related to transfer, postings or seeking financial assistance on medical grounds. My recommendation is usually in the form of request and not an order to the concerned authorities or department heads, who take their individual decisions. We are all public representatives and have to assist public when they seek our assistance." An office-bearer at S M Krishna's New Delhi residence said the minister was busy in a meeting with the Prime Minister and other delegates. Sunil Tatkare, state finance minister
"Yes, at times we have to make recommendations for transfer and posting, as such requests usually come from either party workers or people known to them and we have to oblige to their request. Many a times we do not even know the people whom we are recommending. Such requests come during the yearly transfer process." Sanjay Patil, Member of Parliament
"I usually come across party workers and common people from my constituency asking for recommendation letters, but it does not mean that my recommendation works everywhere. Moreover, everyone would like to have good police/civic officials to work in their constituency. If I am asking for a transfer of a particular officer, it may be because he is good and would do good for common man." | | Rule book says | | Para 413 of Police Manual and para 21 of BMC service rule 1999, specifically prohibits contacting politicians or any external agency for postings and transfer. The irony is that only in rare cases some disciplinary action is taken against the employee. Usually cosmetic action is taken either in the form of reprimand or stoppage of an increment. |
| What expert says | | IPS officer turned lawyer Y P Singh, who had authored a book on corruption, said most high profile posting are usually done on requests made by manipulation through verbal communications or through contacting power brokers. Such recommendations are either for monetary gains or reciprocal arrangements. In police force such recommendations for transfer and posting are seen in large numbers for constabulary and sub inspector levels. On an average 10 to 20 requests are received weekly at the police head quarters. Many a times postings of peons are also decided by babus in Mantralaya. | |
