Applause Breaks Out as Deoria DM Opposes Political Pressure in Meeting
In a bold and widely praised statement, IAS officer Divya Mittal, District Magistrate of Deoria (Uttar Pradesh), firmly asserted that elected representatives — including ministers, MPs, and MLAs — have no authority to influence the transfer or posting of government officers. Her remarks, made during a District Planning Committee (Disha) meeting, have gone viral on social media, with many applauding her stand for administrative integrity. Several senior officials present at the meeting responded with spontaneous applause.
“No public representative can force an officer to be transferred. Transfers are governed by established government rules.” — Divya Mittal, DM Deoria
The Trigger: Political Pressure Over a Teacher’s Case
The situation arose after Barhaj MLA Deepak Mishra reportedly asked the district Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), Shalini Srivastava, to withhold the salary of a teacher and transfer a contractual employee. When the BSA declined to act on the request, the MLA criticized other officials, especially from the PWD department, over poor road conditions, and walked out of the meeting in protest.
Subsequently, other public representatives voiced concerns, urging bureaucrats to listen more carefully to elected officials. One even suggested that if there were no procedural hurdles, the transfer should proceed smoothly.
DM Divya Mittal’s Firm Response
In response, DM Divya Mittal strongly rebutted the statements, emphasizing that decisions on postings and transfers cannot be made under political pressure. She clarified that such matters are governed by well-defined administrative rules and protocols, and interference from public representatives is neither appropriate nor permitted.
Who Was Present at the Meeting?
The meeting was chaired by BJP MP Shashank Mani Tripathi and attended by several notable leaders, including:
Minister of State Vijaylakshmi Gautam
MLA & BJP Spokesperson Shalabh Mani Tripathi
MLAs Surendra Chaurasia, Sabha Kunwar
SP MP Ramashankar Rajbhar (Salempur)
MLC Devendra Pratap Singh
Senior officers from various departments
Ms. Mittal’s comments came in the wake of increasing criticism from public representatives towards officials for not acting on their suggestions, sparking debate over the boundaries of political influence in government administration.
Viral Moment and Public Support
Divya Mittal’s bold stance was captured on video, and the footage has since gone viral. Many viewers have praised her for upholding bureaucratic independence and standing firm against undue political interference. The applause she received from officials in the room underscores widespread support for her position.
About IAS Divya Mittal
Hometown: Rewari, Haryana
Education: B.Tech and MBA; previously worked in London
UPSC Journey: Cleared UPSC in 2011, joined as IPS (Gujarat cadre); reappeared in 2012 and cleared IAS, allotted Uttar Pradesh cadre
Family: Her husband, Gagandeep Singh (IAS, 2011 batch), played a key role in inspiring her to pursue the civil services.
Why This Matters
Divya Mittal’s firm stand has reignited the conversation around the appropriate role of politicians in bureaucratic decision-making, especially in the context of transfer-posting practices in India. Her comments are being viewed as a rare and courageous public stand in favor of rule-based governance, and they may inspire other officers facing similar pressures to assert their independence.
