Hassan Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri takes battle against transfer to Karnataka High Court

BENGALURU: Hassan Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri Dasari on Friday continued her legal battle against her premature transfer by moving the Karnataka High Court challenging the government’s move. The petition is likely to come up for hearing on Monday. Her petition also challenges the verdict of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which has asked her to file an ‘appeal’ before the Chief Secretary. 
Rohini had approached the tribunal for quashing the transfer order but instead it directed her to approach the very author of the transfer order — the chief secretary — for deciding the legality of her own order. 

“Unfortunately, the tribunal totally abdicated its judicial powers and responsibility of exercising its power of judicial review. Further, it is shocking and bewildering that the chief secretary of the Government of Karnataka, who has acted at the behest of the Chief Minister, and in a biased manner, has been asked to be approached with an ‘appeal’, virtually pushing the petitioner towards the wall and imposing on her a pimple on the boil,” Rohini stated in her petition.  

Rohini said the transfer order was premature. The Indian Administrative Service (Cadre) Amendment Rules 2014 inhibit any unscheduled or premature transfer and ensures a minimum tenure of two years at a place and any premature transfer can be made only on the recommendation of the Civil Services Board. 
Rohini has made the principal secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), secretary of Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, and Randeep, deputy commissioner, Mysuru, who had to replace her as per the transfer order, as respondents. She was posted as the commissioner of the Department of Employment and Training. 

Urging the court to quash the transfer order dated March 3, 2018 and the tribunal’s order dated March 21, 2018, Rohini (33) stated that as she did not approach the Chief Secretary as directed by the Tribunal, there is a likelihood of the transfer order dated March 7, 2018 being enforced on or after March 26, the outer limit fixed to maintain status quo. She has said if the transfer order is implemented hurriedly, the petition becomes infructuous, and would cause injustice to her.