Kerala Bureaucracy in Turmoil: Tribunal Blocks Transfer, Suspended IAS Officer N. Prasanth Accuses Govt of Repeated Service Rule Violations
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Ernakulam Bench, has stayed the Kerala government’s order transferring Dr. B. Ashok (IAS:1998) from his current position as Principal Secretary (Agriculture) and Agricultural Production Commissioner to the post of Chairman and Managing Director, Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC).
Violation of Cadre Rules Triggers Tribunal’s Intervention
Dr. Ashok challenged the transfer, arguing that the KTDFC posting carries a lower pay scale and diminished rank, thereby violating provisions of the All India Services (Cadre) Rules. Accepting his plea, the Tribunal directed that he continue in his present post and instructed the government to produce the original transfer file in a sealed cover for judicial scrutiny.
Second Tribunal Ruling in Favour of Dr. Ashok
This marks the second occasion where the CAT has ruled in Dr. Ashok’s favour. Earlier, the Tribunal had set aside his transfer to the Local Self-Government Reforms Commission, finding the move unjustified. The recurrence of such interventions has cast serious doubt on the procedural integrity and decision-making practices within the Kerala bureaucracy.
N. Prasanth’s Stinging Rebuke on Social Media
Suspended IAS officer N. Prasanth (IAS:2007) launched a fierce critique of the government in a Facebook post. He singled out Chief Secretary Dr. A. Jayathilak (IAS:1991), whom he sarcastically referred to as “George Sir”, accusing him and other senior officials of blatant legal transgressions. According to Prasanth, the transfer order concerning Dr. Ashok reflected violations of over seven service rules.
“Contempt for Law” and Rise of a Subservient Bureaucracy
Prasanth went further, charging that certain senior bureaucrats have been advancing their careers not by adherence to law and merit but by currying favour with those in power. Such practices, he warned, represent a “contempt for law” that erodes institutional integrity, corrodes the administrative ecosystem, and risks deepening public disillusionment with governance.
Call for Greater Scrutiny and Accountability
In his post, Prasanth also alleged a growing culture of retaliation against officers who dissent or expose irregularities. He claimed that fabricated charges, career harassment, and punitive postings are routinely deployed to silence critics and whistleblowers. Urging stronger public scrutiny of the bureaucracy, he questioned why repeated violations and misuse of authority by senior officials continue to go unchecked
