Delhi government issues show cause notice to 'absconding' IAS officer

The Delhi services minister has issued a show cause notice to IAS officer and services department secretary Ashish More for not complying with its direction to replace him with a new officer, threatening disciplinary action against him.

The services minister Saurabh Bhardwaj also cited that various attempts to communicate with the officer through phone calls as well as WhatsApp messages did not bore any results and he was “absconding” without informing about any leave availed by him.

More was removed by the Delhi government from his post on Thursday (May 11) last week, hours after the Supreme Court gave the AAP dispensation control over the transfer and posting of officers in the state.

No reply from More was received on the show cause notice issued to him by services department minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on May 13, said a Delhi government official.

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More was unavailable for his comments on the development related to his transfer.

Bhardwaj in a memo to More had sought his reply within 24 hours, over charges against him that he refused to comply with the SC verdict and direction to transfer him.

The AAP government had on Friday (May 12) approached the Supreme Court alleging that the Centre was not implementing the transfer of services secretary More. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud had said a bench would be constituted to hear the matter.