In a dramatic development inside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the state government on Friday suspended IAS officer M. Devender Singh, Member Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), pending disciplinary proceedings. The action followed allegations that he failed to attend ministerial briefings despite repeated reminders.
The suspension order came a day after Assembly Speaker Dilip Lande directed the government to take action against the officer during House proceedings.
Minister Flags Repeated Absence
Environment Minister Pankaja Munde informed the Assembly that Singh had not attended scheduled briefings and had allegedly conveyed that he would not appear for the meeting. Her statement triggered sharp reactions from ruling party legislators.
Singh, a 2011-batch IAS officer, was serving as Member Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board at the time of the controversy.
Speaker Orders Immediate Suspension
Taking serious note of the matter, Speaker Dilip Lande directed that the officer be suspended and instructed the government to report back to the House on the action taken.
The suspension was issued under Rule 3(1)(a) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. The order stated that disciplinary proceedings were being contemplated against Singh and placed him under immediate suspension.
‘Insult to the Constitution’: Sudhir Mungantiwar
Senior BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar described the alleged conduct as a “cold-blooded murder of democracy” and demanded strict action. He urged the Speaker to initiate a breach of privilege motion against the officer suo motu.
“Nothing can be more serious than this. If officers do not show up to brief a Cabinet minister, it is an insult to the Constitution. Such officials must be suspended and punished,” he said during the Assembly debate.
Mungantiwar further stressed the need to send a strong message across the bureaucracy, asserting that ministers deserve institutional respect and that administrative accountability must be upheld.
Political and Administrative Fallout
The swift suspension — ordered on Thursday and implemented by Friday — reflects the seriousness with which the Assembly viewed the matter. The episode has reignited debate over bureaucratic accountability, legislative privilege, and the relationship between elected representatives and civil servants in Maharashtra.
The state government is now expected to initiate formal disciplinary proceedings against the officer in accordance with applicable service rules.
