Frequent shuffling in top bureaucracy

Making transfers and moving officials in the civil service ought to be routine matters, but what has been done in the latest round of reshuffle, basically adding to the sweeping changes brought earlier on, is extraordinary, needless to say, in a highly negative sense.

Bureaucracy, let's not forget, happens to be the most stable and constant factor of administration in any working democracy. Such massive transfers and postings are bound to create a "tremor" across the officialdom shaking it to its very foundation. Transferring and shuffling of officials too frequently also disrupt that process of 'settling down' which is required before the concerned individual becomes oriented to the surroundings, working environs and is able to make his or her contributions towards a collective achievement of common goals. This is most relevant, particularly in the case of secretaries and additional secretaries who are at the highest level of policy and decision-making in the administration.

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The other dimension is that such sudden transfers can produce strains on the minds of concerned officials lowering their morale and interest in work. The moves can also raise question in the public mind as to the motivation behind them, more precisely, as to whether or not, these were driven by political or partisan considerations.

We strongly feel that these sudden bursts of transfers and postings of civil servants should cease forthwith, both for the sake of maintaining equilibrium in the overall administration as well as ensuring that the servants of the Republic work impartially and completely in public interest.