Bengaluru:  In a major relief to former Mysuru Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, who was waiting to assume charge as Hassan Deputy Commissioner, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has asked him to immediately take charge as the Hassan DC. The CAT ruling came this morning while it was hearing the petition by Hassan DC Rohini Sindhuri Dasari.

Quashing Rohini’s petition that questioned her transfer as Commissioner of Department of Employment and Training in Bengaluru, the CAT upheld the Government’s order.

The CAT had earlier stayed the Government order and Rohini had even moved the Karnataka High Court which had asked the officer to petition the State Chief Secretary.

The CAT order has come as a setback to Rohini who now has to report to the new posting.

Randeep, who was waiting for a posting had also petitioned the CAT seeking a direction about his next posting. He and his family are stay put in the Deputy Commissioner’s residence in Mysuru since the first week of March despite  his transfer.

Following a Government order, Randeep, on March 8, had handed over charge to Additional DC T. Yogesh and had left for Hassan to take charge there. But following the CAT stay on Rohini’s transfer, Randeep who had left Mysuru to Hassan to take charge had to return to Mysuru along with his family from Holenarasipura.

The next day he returned to his office in Mysuru and took charge as the post could not be kept vacant. However, he had to handover charge to Vijayapura DC K.B. Sivakumar who was appointed as Mysuru DC.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Randeep said that he was in Bengaluru for the CAT hearing and said that he has been directed to take charge immediately. “I will leave to Hassan now and will take charge by today evening,” he said.

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Bengaluru:  IAS Officer Rohini Sindhuri Dasari will continue as Hassan Deputy Commissioner (DC) as the Karnataka Hih Court yesterday ordered maintaining status quo till the matter was decided afresh by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), in accordance with the law.

The counsels of both Rohini as well as the State have been asked to appear before CAT on April 2. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice B.M. Shyam Prasad issued this direction after setting aside the CAT order dated Mar. 21, 2018.

In its order passed after hearing her petition challenging the transfer, the CAT had directed Rohini to submit the ‘appeal’ to the Chief Secretary on or before Mar.26. Therefore, Rohini filed a writ petition before the High Court against the CAT order on the ground that the Tribunal’s direction is against the principle of natural justice as she was asked to submit an appeal to the Chief Secretary, who passed the transfer order at the behest of Chief Minister heeding to the political pressure by the local leaders as she cracked down on the mining mafia in Hassan district.

Tribunal’s direction is virtually pushing her towards the wall, claimed Rohini, who challenged her premature transfer order. While restoring Rohini’s Original Application (OA) before the CAT, the High Court observed that it appeared that the Tribunal had not gone into the process of adjudication. Hence, Rohini’s writ petition is allowed to the extent indicated in the order. Until final disposal of OA, status quo shall be maintained, the Court said.

Randeep awaits order

Meanwhile, former Mysuru DC D. Randeep’s wait for a new posting has just got longer. Randeep served as the Mysuru DC for over 18 months and was transferred to Hassan. He is staying put in Mysuru though he handed over charge to his successor K.B. Sivakumar on Mar. 12.

On Mar. 7, the government had transferred 12 IAS Officers including Randeep and Rohini. While he handed over charge on Mar. 8 and headed towards Hassan, Randeep learnt of the State government’s submission before the CAT following a petition that it will not disturb Rohini till Mar. 13.

Subsequently, Randeep resumed charge as Mysuru DC as the CM was touring the district. After he handed over charge on Mar. 12, Randeep wrote to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) seeking clarity.

Sources said since the CAT order mentions that Randeep is the official without posting, the DPAR allowed the status quo allowing him to stay back in Mysuru. As there is no change in the status quo with the HC on Tuesday directing the CAT to hear the case again, Randeep will continue to stay put in the city.

Hearing Rohini’s case yesterday, the High Court observed, “Today’s order will not be of any impediment in the official respondents taking appropriate decision as regards the posting of Randeep who may be posted to any other post at any other place, subject to decision of the Original Application. If so considered appropriate, until then, he shall continue as ‘awaiting posting order’ in Mysuru.”

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Mysuru: Former Minister and BJP leader S.A. Ramdas yesterday alleged that the State Government had deliberately transferred Mysuru’s previous Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep to Hassan.

At a press conference, Ramdas said that Randeep was transferred as he was probing the alleged irregularities in the voters’ list of Krishnaraja Assembly segment. “Randeep’s transfer has given rise to many doubts in the mind of the common man and the government feared that if the officer was not transferred, many irregularities including manipulation of voters list would come to light,” he alleged.

It may be mentioned that Ramdas had recently alleged that the State Government was misusing the powers to delete the names from the voters’ list by giving false information that the voters had expired or relocated to other places.

Ramdas said, “The Zonal Assistant Commissioner refused to accept the complaint when I approached him complaining about the irregularities. However, the DC considered the matter seriously and started a probe, but, the government transferred him,” he alleged.

“More than 11,000 names were deleted from the Krishnaraja Assembly constituency and many Congress workers were involved in mass inclusion of names in the voters list so that it could favour Congress in the forthcoming elections,” he said.

Chief Minister Siddharamaiah is not allowing the officials to work independently and the officers are in constant fear. The senior officers in the State have also been alleging harassment from the government, he said. Ramdas also warned of a legal battle if the authorities fail to take action against the people, who had deleted the names of voters illegally.

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By K.C. Biddappa, Retd. Sr. Vice-President, ITC Ltd.

The sudden and abrupt transfer of an efficient, effective, people-friendly and non- controversial  Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru, D. Randeep, after one-and-a-half-years in Mysuru, to a smaller district of Hassan, just three months before the crucial Assembly polls, which is  a step down job, raises more questions than answers from the citizens’ perspective.

If the grapevine is to be believed, it is the enquiry envisaged by the DC to enquire into the alleged deletion of thousands of voters’ names from the electoral rolls, a gross malpractice in connivance with the crony officials as alleged by a former Minister of the Opposition party. If this is true, then it is a diabolical game played by the politicians to subvert democracy and deprive the citizens of their legitimate right to exercise their franchise.

I hope the Election Commission (EC) of India represented by the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka will take cognisance of this fraud and reposition Randeep as the DC of Mysuru once the election dates are announced and the model code of conduct comes into effect. The EC  should also take similar action regarding all other senior officials who have been abruptly transferred with an ulterior political motive.

This action by the Election Commission will restore people’s faith in the democratic system and the people of Karnataka should teach these political masters a befitting lesson in the ensuing Assembly polls.

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Bengaluru:  The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has extended the stay order issued to the government in the case of Hassan Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri Dasari’s transfer, for another week. CAT has reserved orders until Mar. 21.

Rohini Sindhuri had moved the CAT questioning the transfer order issued by the Karnataka government. CAT had earlier issued a stay till Mar. 13.

MAKING BEST USE OF HIS leisure TIME

Meanwhile, D. Randeep, who was posted as Hassan Deputy Commissioner from Mysuru, is making the most of his time in constructive way as he cannot take charge as Hassan DC till Rohini’s transfer issue is settled.

Randeep is at present staying at DC’s Bungalow near Jaladarshini Guest House in Mysuru as he has time till one month to vacate his house. “After transfer, a Deputy Commissioner has one month time to vacate his/ her official residence. I have sought directions from Principal Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms,” he told Star of Mysore.

When asked about how he spends time, he said that his day begins at 7 am with a bunch of newspapers. “After reading the newspapers and making notes if need be, I go for a walk inside the DC’s Bungalow and I take along my four pet dogs (see page 10). I am back at work at 10 am and I read books and journals,” he said.

Randeep said that he is making a list of the works he has initiated as Mysuru DC which will help the new Mysuru DC K.B. Sivakumar for follow up action. “I am also making a list of pending works and including my suggestion in completing them and mentioning about the stakeholders involved in pending projects. This brief will help the new DC to have an idea of the projects and also initiate works to complete them,” he said.

During leisure hours, Randeep said he helps his designer wife Arpitha Raj. “I am freer now and I am utilising this in a best way. There are some places in Mysuru that I have not visited and I am visiting them now. Even after I take charge as Hassan DC, I will assist the new Mysuru DC on pending issues and projects,” he said.

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Bengaluru/Mysuru:  Mysuru Deputy Commissioner (DC) D. Randeep who was transferred as Hassan DC by the State Government has returned to Mysuru and assumed charge as the DC this morning following the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) staying the transfer of Hassan Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri.

In a major embarrassment to the Siddharamaiah government, Rohini Sindhuri’s transfer was put on hold by the CAT. This was the second unsuccessful attempt by the State Government in the last two months to transfer Rohini. A few weeks ago, the Election Commission had stalled her transfer as she was involved in revision of electoral rolls.

Following the CAT stay, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep who was transferred as Hassan DC and who had left Mysuru yesterday to Hassan to take charge had to return to Mysuru along with his family from Holenarasipura. As he had received the transfer orders, Randeep handed over the charge to Additional DC T. Yogesh in Mysuru yesterday morning and had proceeded towards Hassan.

As he neared Holenarasipura, Randeep got a message that the CAT has stayed the Hassan DC’s transfer. He returned to Mysuru after having lunch at K.R. Nagar Travellers Bungalow. He returned to his office this morning as the post cannot be kept vacant. Vijayapura DC K.B. Shivakumar who has been appointed as Mysuru DC is yet to take charge.

Randeep is now in Periyapatna as a protocol Officer for Chief Minister Siddharamaiah’s visit there. The officer has written a letter to Principal Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms in this regard and has stated that he would wait for further orders.

On Mar. 7, the State Government transferred 12 IAS officers, including Rohini and posted her as Commissioner, Employment & Training Department in Bengaluru. Rohini approached the CAT Bench yesterday questioning her transfer, which she claimed is contrary to IAS regulations of two-year tenure. She was posted as Hassan DC in July 2017. The officer also contended that the transfer order, issued due to political pressure, is malicious, arbitrary and vindictive in nature.

The CAT Bench took up the officer’s petition for hearing and issued the notice to the government. The Additional Advocate General said that the reply will be filed by Mar. 12 and the applicant will not be removed from the post of Hassan DC till Mar. 13, the date of next hearing.

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Mysuru:  The officers and staff of Deputy Commissioner’s office extended  a farewell to Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep at his office here this morning.

Randeep  has been transferred to Hassan and will be replaced by K.B. Shivakumar who is expected to take charge tomorrow.

Additional DC T. Yogesh, Assistant Commissioner Shivegowda, officers of all department and staff exchanged pleasantries with Randeep.

Deputy Commissioner’s wife Arpita and daughter Aarna were present. It may be recalled that  Randeep had taken over as DC from C. Shikha on Dec. 8, 2016.

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 Mysuru: A Comprehensive Study on Traffic Congestion in Mysuru City Centre, initiated by the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), entered the second day today.

The survey is being anchored by MGP Member R. Chandra Prakash and as part of the study, nearly 50 volunteers from V-LEAD, St. Philomena’s Post-Graduate Institute and Traffic Wardens, began the traffic survey at 7 am at K.R. Circle, Nehru Circle, Devaraj Market, K.R. Hospital premises where they studied the movement of the vehicles and whether there is enough place for parking.

The study today also involved where the shoppers would park their vehicles to shop in Devaraj Market. It ended at 9.30 am and later, the volunteers moved to Ramaswamy Circle to study the vehicular movement there till 11 am.

Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, who visited Ramaswamy Circle and interacted with the researchers, told Star of Mysore that the MGP had initiated this study to see how the impact of traffic movement will be in the next 20 years and how the city can be made to accommodate the growing volume of vehicles.

He said that the District Administration had deputed nine Nodal Officers to work with the NGO and the Traffic Police were also assisting them. “Initially, we had told the MGP that we could not fund the project, but now under CSR we have given them a grant of Rs.2 lakh for the study,” he said. The study is being conducted with the cooperation of the District Administration, Police and Government agencies like KSRTC, MUDA, RTO and others, the DC said.

The study will be completed and a comprehensive report will be submitted to the District Administration by July this year. The report will suggest how to control traffic and implement other measures to see that the whole traffic system is streamlined, said Randeep.

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Mysuru:  Strongly opposing the Government’s move to transfer Mysuru Deputy Commissioner (DC) D. Randeep, SBM Manju Sneha Balaga, Nagarikara Samskrutika Vedike and KRRS have urged the Government not to transfer the DC.

Addressing a press  meet here yesterday, SBM Manju Sneha Balaga Hon. President Falcon Boregowda said that DC Randeep has been working honestly ever since he took charge as Mysuru DC in Aug. 2016.

Listing out the achievements of the DC, he said Randeep has the credit of hosting the world’s largest yoga event last year.

Pointing out that Randeep has neither completed three years of service in Mysuru nor he is a native of Mysuru to be transferred with polls round the corner, he urged the Government to drop the move and continue him in his present post.

Mysuru Nagarikara Samskrutika Vedike Founder President K.S. Nagaraj said that DC Randeep had strived to put Mysuru on the world map by conducting several programmes and events, which included mass yoga demonstration which entered the Guinness Book of World Records.

Strongly condemning the proposed transfer, Nagaraj urged the Government not to transfer the DC. KRRS leader Ashwath Narayan Raje Urs said that the Government should put a break to the transfer of honest officers.

Maintaining that Randeep was a honest officer who always responded to the people’s problems, he demanded the Government to withdraw DC Randeep’s transfer order immediately.

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Mysuru:  The District Administration, Department of Tourism and AYUSH had organised a function at JK Grounds here this morning to thank and felicitate city yoga performers whose joint performance of yoga with over 54,000 participants on June 21, 2017 had made them to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest mass yoga performance.

The yoga performers who had assembled this morning took an oath to break their own record by taking the number of participants to one lakh this year.

A mass yoga was also performed on the occasion. Certificates were given to the participants and yoga associations who had contributed in achieving the world record.

Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, Tourism Department Deputy Director Janardhan and representatives of various yoga associations were present.

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