In the aftermath of a government mistake regarding the dissolution of panchayats, two senior IAS officers have faced suspension due to their role in a technically flawed decision. Chief Secretary Anurag Verma issued orders for the immediate suspension of Dhirendra Kumar Tiwari (IAS:1994:PB), serving as Principal Secretary (Water Supply & Sanitation) and Financial Commissioner (Rural Development & Panchayats), and Gurpreet Singh Khaira (IAS:2009:PB), holding the position of Director (Rural Development & Panchayats) and ex-officio Special Secretary (Department of Rural Development & Panchayats), along with serving as the Mission Director of Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojana.
The government suspended them under the provisions of rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. The suspension orders specify that these officers will be based in Chandigarh during their suspension period and entitled to subsistence allowance as per regulations.
Both officers played a pivotal role in the ill-fated decision to dissolve panchayats, which resulted in substantial embarrassment for the government after panchayats sought relief from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Faced with a challenging situation, the government had no choice but to reverse its decision.
Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar explained that the government suspended these officers due to their involvement in a technically flawed decision. He emphasized that the decision to dissolve panchayats, considered the cornerstone of democracy, had been revoked. In a statement, he disclosed that when Chief Minister Mann became aware of the panchayat dissolution issue, he ordered strict action against the officers involved.
