Andhra Pradesh Minister seeks prompt resolution of disciplinary cases

The Health Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y. Satya Kumar Yadav, has called for new guidelines to speed up disciplinary proceedings. He made this decision after reviewing a case that has dragged on for 15 years. The case involves an Assistant Secretary in the Andhra Pradesh Vaidya Vidhan Parishad. In 2009, he was accused of misconduct while serving as a Section Officer. A Deputy Executive Engineer accused him of breaking administrative and financial rules, preparing inflated budget estimates, and mishandling seniority lists of civil engineers. An inquiry into the allegations began in 2010, but the process has faced delays. Five inquiry officers have been changed due to various issues. Meanwhile, the complainant sought help from the Lokayukta, which ruled that the officer did not have the authority to sanction works and dismissed the complaint as motivated by personal grudges. Despite this, the disciplinary actions continued for another eight years without resolution. The fifth Inquiry Officer later found that some charges were unproven but recommended punishment based on audit findings. Eventually, the officer took the matter to the High Court to dismiss the allegations. He retired in March 2021 but is only receiving a provisional pension because the case remains unresolved. In light of the lengthy investigation and the Lokayukta's findings, the Health Minister has instructed officials to close the proceedings against the officer.