IAS officers cannot be transferred at will of Govt:​ recommendation of Civil Service Board required;​ CAT with instruction

KOCHI: The Central Administrative Tribunal has directed the state government not to take any decision on appointments and changes in IAS cadre posts without the recommendation of the Civil Service Board. The CAT's interim order is on a petition filed by the Kerala IAS Officers Association.

With CAT's order, the government will be barred from transferring officers at will. The government strongly opposed the petition of the IAS Association. The government contended that the petition was in the capacity of the association and none of the transferees had challenged it. The interim order of the CAT Ernakulam bench rejected the government's argument.

The appointment to the IAS cadre posts had already been questioned by the IAS Officers Association. The association alleged that people who are not in service are being appointed to state government schemes. The CAT order is in the petition regarding this. The order also said that the instructions should be followed strictly.