The Cooperation department is expected to kickstart the process of general transfers using an online system within a month. The Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) has directed the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to commence the transfer process in the department within one month and complete it “within another two months.”
The department had informed the Tribunal that the norms for carrying out the transfers using an online system are ready.
The October 17 KAT order came on a batch of petitions filed by the Kerala State Cooperative Inspectors and Auditors Association and its State president P.K. Jayakrishnan and Anil K.K. of the Kerala Gazetted Officers’ Union questioning the department’s decision to transfer 110 Assistant Registrars/Assistant Directors without implementing the online system as required by the government.
Curb on ‘other transfers’
In its latest order on the matter, the Tribunal has also asked the department not to carry out other transfers in the meantime.
On October 3, the Tribunal had slapped an interim stay on the transfer order after it found that the department had breached an undertaking given to it regarding the implementation of online transfers.
Database finalised
Responding to the interim stay, the department informed the Tribunal that the guidelines for online general transfers have been finalised and approved by the government. The database of employees too has been finalised. It added that the notification for general transfers would be issued within one month.
The Personnel and Administrative Reforms department had issued orders in February 2017 and October 2021 directing government departments to create electronic databases of staff and carry out transfers and postings only through the online system. The Cooperation department had not complied with this order, prompting the petitioners to move the KAT. The Kerala State Cooperative Inspectors and Auditors Association had first brought the absence of the online transfers to the notice of the KAT in 2021.
