Promotion in excess of vacancy

Coming on the heels of a large number of such promotions, it has again, in what can best be described as a brazen faced act of impropriety, promoted another 332 officers, without regard for public opinion and media criticism, superseding a large number of deserving officers. That a government can even think of promoting one person beyond the approved vacancy, let alone countenance a situation where there are more than 500 officers beyond the approved establishment figure, as is the case now, defies logic.

And when so many officers are living in a state of limbo -- that is the only way that one can describe the state of the officers on special duty (OSD) -- the only motivation of the government for such large number of promotions, at the very fag end of its tenure, raises doubt in public mind. The act is disingenuous and has no doubt been resorted to, without regard to rules and regulations, in order to reap political dividends in the forthcoming elections.

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This is ill discipline of the highest magnitude that will set a very bad example for the future. Another shocking feature is that the large number of OSD are reportedly those that are considered to be not loyal to the present government. When the full capacity remains unutilised, the government feels no qualms in promoting even more. What a travesty!

The fallout is obvious; it is dangerous. It will have a tremendous demoralising effect on the bureaucracy at this very crucial juncture when a transition from the political government to the caretaker is in the offing, and the normal function of the bureaucracy in this interregnum is very important. There is little doubt that the government's action will deal a severe body blow to the system of administration from which it would take time to recoup fully.

Although there had been politicisation of the bureaucracy during the previous government's rule, the scope and intensity of the way that not only the higher echelons but also other levels of the administration have been affected now, will leave a very fractious, divided and impaired officialdom in its wake.

That will be a great disservice to the nation.