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CHENNAI, DEC. 10 Another significant reshuffle of officers has taken place both on the administrative side and in the police. When major IAS postings were announced on Friday, it was rumoured that some police changes would also come through the next day. There was a delay by a day, but the shuffle took place anyway.

In many ways, the shifting of the Chennai Police Commissioner, Mr. K. Muthukaruppan, assumes significance. Hardly four months ago, the former Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, was ready to take on the Centre to keep him in place. As late as November, the State Government wrote to the Home Ministry, saying that it could not spare the services of this Commissioner and two other senior police officers in Chennai.

But now Mr. Muthukaruppan finds himself eased out of the prestigious post, for which he was specially chosen in May, as soon as the AIADMK was voted to power. Perhaps he has served his purpose. Possibly, the AIADMK wants to soften its approach to the Centre and the BJP and found it convenient to `dump' the police officer. But it must be said that the city cops are happy to see Mr. K. Vijay Kumar taking his place.

Looking beyond the Muthukaruppan case, frequent changes and re-transfers have become a feature of this Government. There have been three Directors-General of Police in charge during the past six months - Dr. R. Rajagopalan, Mr. K. Ravindranath and now Mr. B. P. Nailwal.

At the Inspector-General and Deputy Inspector-General levels, there have been many changes. Some have received transfer orders, at least, twice in the past six months. Some Commissioners of Police in other towns have also been shifted within a short time.

Among the IAS officers, the Jayalalithaa regime effected a sweeping reshuffle after a preliminary review, coming down heavily on some officers who were `perceived' to be `close to the DMK rulers'. At least, a dozen of them have been transferred twice.

Some officers have hogged the limelight with their transfers attracting more attention. Mrs. C. K. Gariyali, (shifted from the post of Secretary-I to the Chief Minister),

Mr. Muthukaruppan and Mr. J. T. Acharyalu (recently transferred Commissioner of the Chennai Corporation) fall into this category, though for different reasons.

Officials say some have been shifted for `non- performance', some for their inability to keep the ruling party cadres happy and others for their `falling from grace'. In some instances, as in the case of the former DGP, there are specific complaints which the leadership thinks are too weighty to ignore. So the axe falls.

What brings some comfort to the officers is that even Ministers have not been spared. Three Ministers were dropped like `hot potatoes' even before they could settle down in the Cabinet. Another was left out when the Cabinet was reconstituted at the time of Mr. O. Paneerselvam taking over as Chief Minister and a fifth lost her job in the wake of her brother being charged in a murder case.

Some senior officers are seriously concerned over the phenomenon of frequent transfers. They say a few more are in the pipeline. ``Normally, there is a time for transfers. The totality of circumstances including education of children, if any, has to be taken into consideration - except in case of an emergency or an abject failure in management. The Officers' Association is aware of this issue and is constantly in touch with the Chief Secretary, who is the head of the family'', explains an official.

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