Centre issues show-cause notice to former West Bengal Chief Secretary, gives 3-days to respond

The Centre on Monday issued a show-cause notice to Alapan Bandopadhyay, who retired as West Bengal Chief Secretary after rejecting the three-month extension given to him, for skipping a meeting on Cyclone Yaas chaired by PM Narendra Modi.

The notice under the Disaster Management Act asked Bandopadhyay to explain within three days the reason for his absence from the Prime Minister’s meeting on Cyclone Yaas in Bengal. It also stated that the meeting involved 'affairs of the Centre' and the officer failed to attend it.

Through the notice, Bandopadhyay has been asked why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him for having defied the Centre's directions, in alleged violation of service rules.

The Department of Personnel and Training had on Friday directed Alapan Bandopadhyay to report to its office at North Block in Delhi by 10 am on May 31. However, the Bengal Chief Minister wrote to Modi on Monday morning, informing him that the state government was not releasing Bandopadhyay. 

Bandopadhyay was immediately appointed as the Chief Advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. HK Dwivedi was appointed as the new West Bengal Chief Secretary. 

According to sources in the government of India, a charge sheet may be issued against the retired Chief Secretary followed by disciplinary action. Disciplinary proceedings can be initiated against an officer for up to four years after his/her retirement, as per rules. 

Notably, CM Mamata Banerjee and the Centre are at loggerheads after she skipped the cyclone review meeting with PM Narendra Modi last week.