MHA sends notice to six DANICS officers to join posting at Lakshdweep

New Delhi, May 23

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order to six DANICS officers in Delhi to join work in Lakshadweep or face disciplinary action. 

The MHA issued notice to Sandeep Kumar Mishra, Sravan Bagaria, Shailendra Singh Parihar, Singare Ramchandra Mahadev, Nitin Kumar Jindal and Rakesh Kumar of DANICS. 

The MHA’s notice stated, “The aforesaid officers are directed to immediately report to the UT of Lakshadweep and forward a copy of their joining report in Lakshadweep Administration, failing which disciplinary action as per rules will be initiated without any further reference.”

The DANICS (Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Island Civil Service) officials are a part of the UT cadre that are posted in the union territories of India. 

The officers had been transferred to the Union Territory from Delhi last November, but had moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) against it.

However, after a 23-page order of the CAT on May 20, the MHA issued "stand relieving" orders to the officers directing them "to immediately report to the UT of Lakshadweep.

It asked them to forward a copy of their joining report, failing which it warned that ''disciplinary action as per rules will be initiated without any further reference."

On May 20, the CAT said it had found “no merit” in their applications to stay their transfers. After they were issued the transfer order, the MHA sent a reminder in February this year, however the officers had not joined their respective postings.