Missing APARs of Bureaucrats – who is to be blamed?
11 May, 2014
Reply to an application filed by 1991 batch IAS officer Ashok Khemka under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed that his Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) for the period 01.04.2012 to 15.10.2012 has not been appraised.
Khemka, currently holding the post of Secretary, Department of Archives, has accused the Haryana Government, of victimising him as he had cancelled mutation of the land deal between Robert Vadra and DLF. The whistleblower IAS officer had requested for deputation to Government of India as Joint Secretary on March 15, 2014 and the same was forwarded to the Centre by the state government but his name was not considered due to “missing APARs” for the years 2011-12 and 2012-13 and the absence of vigilance clearance by the state government.
Khemka has alleged that the act of non-appraisal of APAR seems to be deliberate effort to persecute him because the reporting period coincided with actions taken by him against several land scams which had political patronage. He had cancelled the mutation of the land deal between Robert Vadra and DLF in October 2012 for which he was sheeted for “wrongly” cancelling mutation of the deal in 2013. The state government had maintained that cancelling the mutation was an administratively improper step as he stood transferred as Managing Director of Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC) on October 11, 2012 while the orders were passed on October 12 and October 15.
Khemka has claimed that he got outstanding grading from 2007-08 to 2011-12. Having faced over 40 transfers in his career, Khemka has questioned why he should be penalised for the fault of someone who has not assessed his performance for six months.
There have been many cases of similar nature reported in the media where an officer has suffered just because his APAR has not been appraised. Some are made to wait for promotion or are unable to get their deputation. It is unfortunate that senior officers have to undergo such an experience and no action is taken against the perpetuators.