Date:02/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/02/stories/2008030256490800.htm

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U.P. official divested of powers

Atiq Khan

GO cancels earlier order on granting Cabinet Minister status
Shashank Shekhar Singh, however, will continue as Cabinet Secretary

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh was on Saturday divested of his administrative powers and his status as a Cabinet Minister was withdrawn by Chief Minister Mayawati.

The impromptu announcement was made by the Chief Minister in the Assembly. According to Ms. Mayawati, Mr. Singh had sent a letter to her on Friday expressing his desire to voluntarily give up his status as a Minister.

He also requested that he be taken off his responsibility as the head of Secretariat Administration, the Chief Minister said, and added that she accepted his request.

Ms. Mayawati, after accepting the request, issued an order on February 29 cancelling the earlier order granting Cabinet Minister status to Mr. Singh and making him the head of Secretariat administration.

Mr. Singh, however, will continue as the Cabinet Secretary and hold the post of Deputy Chairman of State Planning Commission.

Following the dramatic development, the administrative powers of the State would revert back to the Chief Secretary, as was the practice before Ms. Mayawati appointed Mr. Singh, a non-IAS officer, as the Cabinet Secretary and vested him with all the administrative powers.

As the all-powerful Cabinet Secretary, he virtually called the shots in matters concerning administrative decisions.

When Ms. Mayawati made the announcement the Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha, Mulayam Singh, was present. She recalled the issue raised by the Mr. Mulayam Singh when he moved the amendment on the motion of thanks to Governor T.V. Rajeswar’s address to the joint sitting of both the Houses.

The Chief Minister said since the case was sub judice she did not mention the issue of Mr. Shashank Shekhar Singh’s appointment in her reply.

Ms. Mayawati said she received a letter from Mr. Shashank Shekhar Singh on Friday in which he requested to be relieved of his powers. His request was accepted, the Chief Minister added.

Mr. Mulayam Singh said the decision to make a non-IAS officer the Cabinet Secretary and accord him the status of Cabinet Minister was unparalleled and made a mockery of democracy.