Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s most trusted bureaucrat, V.K. Pandian, is the latest target of the Opposition in the State. Recently, based on a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Aparajita Sarangi and BJP State President Manmohan Samal, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) urged the Odisha Chief Secretary to address Mr. Pandian’s alleged violations of The All India Services (Conduct) Rules.
The complaint was related to Mr. Pandian’s whirlwind tour in June of different districts, including Keonjhar, Bargarh, Dhenkanal, Bhadrak, Rayagada, Balasore, and Kandhamal. The complaint by Ms. Sarangi and Mr. Samal, lodged on June 24 with the DoPT, said, “Mr. Pandian is moving around the State using State plane/helicopter and attending public reception. He is announcing new projects and as per his own claims, all this on the instruction of [the] CM. This is done in clear violation of Rule 5(I) and Rule 12 (I) of AISC Rules...”
Subsequently, leaders of other parties joined the chorus. Former Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik, who is now Campaign Committee Chairman of the Odisha Congress, also wrote a complaint to the DoPT on June 27 stating, “No serving officer is permitted under the AISC Rules to represent a political functionary at a public meeting.”
