Mumbai: In order to ensure a smooth administration during the President’s Rule in Maharashtra, governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari late on Wednesday set an eight- point agenda for the “disposal of business at the administrative level”.
The order was issued by the General Admin-istration Department (GAD), keeping in mind the powers bestowed upon the governor under Article 166 of the Constitution.
A senior IAS officer said, “The order will be applicable till the new government is formed in the state.”
The order stated that all matters that were required to be put up to the council of ministers, as well as, such cases where ministers had to obtain the orders of the chief minister, will now be routed through chief secretary Ajoy Mehta to the governor.
The order stated that proposals regarding transfers and postings of officers of the rank of joint secretary and above and in respect of IAS/IPS and IFS cadre, and of the rank of collector/superintendent of police and above would be routed through the chief secretary of the state to the governor.
The order further added that matters pertaining to law and order will be routed through the chief secretary of Maharashtra to the governor.
As per the order, the governor, through the chief secretary, may finally decide routine cases that were earlier being settled at the level of a Cabinet minister.
In cases where more than one department is concerned, the matter may be decided by the governor in consultation with the chief secretary.
In legislative matters, factual information and present status may be communicated with the approval of the secretary of the department to the legislature secretariat.
All administrative and financial matters of an urgent and time-bound nature that are beyond the power of the chief secretary would be submitted to the governor through the chief secretary.
As per the order, any affidavit with policy implications would be submitted to the governor through the chief secretary.
