In a decisive administrative move, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has relieved senior IAS officer Prasad Lolayekar (2014 batch) from his responsibilities in Goa with immediate effect. He has been instructed to promptly report to his new posting in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
This directive comes after Mr. Lolayekar failed to assume charge of his new role, despite being transferred during the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre reshuffle in September 2024. He is not alone in this delay—another IAS officer, Sanjit Rodrigues (2013 batch), also has yet to join his new assignment in Ladakh following the same reshuffle.
The MHA has reiterated its policy requiring all transferred officers to join their new postings within 15 days of the transfer’s effective date. Non-compliance results in automatic “stand relieved” status, irrespective of formal handover procedures. The ministry has warned that further delays may lead to disciplinary action, including withheld promotions, adverse service records, and other penalties.
These developments are part of a broader reshuffle affecting the AGMUT cadre, which recently saw six IAS officers transferred from Goa and five new officers posted to the state. The MHA’s firm stance reflects a renewed focus on discipline, accountability, and strict adherence to administrative norms among senior bureaucrats serving in Union Territories and other regions under the AGMUT cadre.
This move underscores the Centre’s zero-tolerance approach toward administrative negligence and its commitment to upholding the efficiency and integrity expected from India’s top civil servants.
