The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Madhya Pradesh government to withdraw a controversial order that had created tensions between Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers. The apex court warned the state that it would be held in contempt otherwise.
In its order dated 29 June, the MP government said that district magistrates and divisional commissioners would have a say in the appraisals of IFS officers serving in districts. This created a stir within the state bureaucracy as IFS officers arguing that the order diluted their authority, posed a conflict of interest, violated a Supreme Court judgment, endangered forest conservation efforts, and damaged their morale.
The issue reached the Supreme Court through a petition filed by Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, who contended that the government’s order undermined the core mandate of forest officers. Bansal cited previous Supreme Court rulings which stated that the confidential reports of Forest Department officers up to the level of APCCF (Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests) should be written by their superiors within the same service.
The Supreme Court expressed serious concern over the potential impact of the state’s order on forest conservation and protection. The Senior Advocate representing the Madhya Pradesh government was instructed to reconsider the order, with a stern warning that if it was not withdrawn, the Court might initiate contempt proceedings.
The Madhya Pradesh IFS Association (MPIFSA) had previously raised the issue in a strong protest to Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav in July. The association highlighted the state’s crucial role in wildlife conservation and warned that the new order would not only demoralize forest officers but also jeopardise the success of flagship environmental initiatives championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
