Bhopal Patwari transfer list changed within 24 hours:Transfers of 24 out of 46 officials cancelled, giving long-serving employees fresh relief

The transfer list for patwaris in Madhya Pradesh’s capital was revised within just 24 hours of its release, raising questions over the administrative decision-making process. Of the 46 patwaris transferred in the original order issued on June 15, the transfers of 24 officials were effectively cancelled after their names were removed from a revised list released the following day. The development has sparked allegations of preferential treatment, particularly as many of the officials had been posted in the same tehsils for several years. Original list targeted long-serving officials The Collector’s office issued transfer orders for 46 patwaris on June 15. Most of those transferred had reportedly been serving in Huzur and Kolar tehsils for five to eight years, while some were posted in their home tehsils. However, after the state government extended the transfer window following the Cabinet meeting on June 16, a revised list was issued late that night. The updated order removed the names of 24 patwaris, effectively cancelling their transfers. Allegations of influence behind revised list According to sources, a significant number of the 30 patwaris retained in the revised transfer order belonged to Huzur and Kolar areas. The report alleges that some officials were able to get their names removed from the transfer list through influential contacts, though no official confirmation has been provided. First, see the first list Officials named in past sting operation also receive relief Among those whose names were dropped from the revised list were Nidhi Nema and Kishore Singh Dangi. Both officials had previously figured in a media sting operation conducted two years ago, in which videos allegedly showing monetary transactions had surfaced. Several officials had served in the same area for years Many of the patwaris who were spared transfer had reportedly remained posted in Huzur and Kolar between 2015 and 2022. The list includes officials such as Sadashiv Gond, Kishore Singh Dangi, Narendra Raikwar, Kewal Singh Kaur, Renu Patel, Bujkishore Nagar, Abhishek Sharma, Mukul Sarathe, Diksha Sharma, Sandeep Sharma, Priyanka Singh, Saurabh Solanki, Pradeep Patel, Pooja Thakur, Priyanka Dubey, and Nidhi Nema, among others. The revised list came out on June 16 Political angle also being discussed Of the 24 patwaris whose transfers were cancelled, 20 were reportedly posted in Huzur tehsil and four in the Kolar region. Both areas fall under the Assembly constituency represented by MLA Rameshwar Sharma. Only one patwari from Berasia was reportedly removed from the revised transfer list, leading to speculation about possible political intervention, although no evidence has been officially presented. Questions raised over compliance with transfer policy Under the transfer policy, no more than 20 percent of employees in a district can be transferred in a single exercise. With 243 patwaris posted in Bhopal district, the maximum permissible number of transfers would be 47. While 46 transfers were ordered on June 15, the issuance of a revised list the following day resulted in a total of 76 transfer-related orders being processed. Experts familiar with the policy argue that cancelled orders are also part of the transfer exercise, raising questions about compliance with the prescribed limit. Procedure for issuing orders under scrutiny Clause 42 of the transfer policy mandates that all transfer orders should be issued through the e-office system. However, the June 15 order was reportedly issued with physical signatures, while the revised order dated June 16 was processed through the e-office platform. Notably, the revised notification did not explicitly state that the earlier order stood cancelled. Sources claim that although the original transfers were intended to address complaints and long tenures at the same postings, several names were later removed following influential intervention. The matter is now expected to draw the attention of the General Administration Department (GAD), with the possibility of further scrutiny or an official inquiry.