A decade after the bifurcation of the Telugu states, the pangs continue to be felt in different forms. This time, five IAS officers from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are experiencing it as they challenge the central government's reallocation of their home state. Four senior IAS officers—Amrapali Kata, Ronald Rose, Vakati Karuna, and A. Vani Prasad—have been serving in the Telangana government despite being allotted to Andhra Pradesh during the bifurcation. Similarly, Srijana Gummala, a 2013 batch IAS officer, has held key administrative roles in Andhra Pradesh, although she was allocated to the Telangana cadre.
Over the last ten years, the officials have approached the high courts, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), requesting to be retained in their current state. A one-man commission was also appointed to examine the issue after some officers presented technical arguments to back their case.
However, the DoPT, based on the Commission’s report, recently issued orders to the officers to report to their home state, prompting them to once again approach the CAT, which denied their request. Today, the officials filed a petition in the high court but the bench dismissed it. The officers are now required to report to their domicile state as mandated by the Centre. The Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments are expected to relieve the IAS officers shortly. Whether the officials will take the matter to higher courts is yet to be known.
These developments have also come as a shock to the state governments which had entrusted the officers with significant responsibilities. For instance, Amrapali Kata, who was on deputation to the central government, returned to the state after the Congress government was formed. She currently heads the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) as its commissioner. Another IAS officer, Ronald Rose, is serving as the Secretary for Energy, considered a critical portfolio in the government. Vakati Karuna is involved with the Women and Child Welfare Department. Vani Prasad serves in the Tourism and Culture Department.
In Andhra Pradesh, Srijana Gummala is the collector of NTR district, which has Vijayawada as its headquarters and is seen as the de facto capital of the state. The state governments, particularly Telangana, now need to quickly replenish the lost administrative muscle.