The Andhra Pradesh High Court has taken a stern view of the alleged misuse of the spouse quota provision in government employee transfers. On Friday, the court directed the state government to provide a detailed explanation regarding the limits of this provision.
Bench Demands Clarity on Transfer Rules
A bench comprising Justices Battu Devanand and Hari Haranatha Sharma heard the matter, noting that it requires a detailed hearing. The judges specifically asked the government to clarify how many times an employee can utilise the spouse quota and whether leaders of employee unions should be allowed to work at the same place for many years consecutively.
The bench observed that some government employees, particularly leaders of employee associations, are misusing the spouse quota provision. This observation came during the hearing of a petition filed by KVS Prasad Rao.
The Case That Sparked the Scrutiny
The issue was brought to light by advocate Narra Srinivas Rao, who is representing Majji Krishna Rao, a District Sainik Welfare Officer posted in Vizianagaram. Srinivas Rao informed the court that Krishna Rao continued in his position under the spouse quota after obtaining the necessary orders.
The dispute involves KVS Prasad Rao, who works in the same cadre and was transferred to Vizianagaram. Although Krishna Rao was transferred out, he allegedly did not allow Prasad Rao to take charge of the office. An aggrieved Prasad Rao moved the High Court, contending that Krishna Rao misbehaved with him and forcefully threw him out of the office.
In an earlier hearing, the High Court had directed the District Collector to submit note files pertaining to the transfers of both officers.
Government Must Submit Rule Position
Responding to the submissions, the bench has now asked the state government to submit the official rule position on the spouse quota. The court wants a clear framework on how the provision is intended to be used and what safeguards exist to prevent its exploitation.
The matter has been posted for further hearing in the first week of January. The state government's response is expected to set a precedent for how transfer policies, especially those involving spouse quotas, are implemented and monitored in the future.
