The Tamil Nadu government has issued a new order making Chief Minister Vijay’s approval mandatory for promotions and transfers of senior government officials. The move revises the existing process with the stated aim of preventing bribery and corruption in postings and career advancement.
Tamil Nadu has 41 government departments that implement welfare schemes and handle essential services such as roads, drinking water and electricity, along with works like waterbody restoration, environmental protection and construction of government buildings. Many of these projects are executed through contractors.
According to the order, promotion panels for department secretaries, heads of departments, District Revenue Officers, additional/joint/deputy secretaries, Superintendents of Police, additional registrars and additional directors, among others, must be sent to the Chief Minister’s Office for approval. For other staff, approval by the concerned minister will be sufficient; if there is any ambiguity, the matter must be referred to the Human Resources Management Department minister for a decision.
Files related to promotions that deviate from seniority norms can be forwarded to the Chief Minister only after the Chief Secretary’s recommendation. The order also makes the Chief Minister’s approval compulsory for appointments to senior law officer posts such as Advocate General, Additional Advocate General, Government Advocate and Government Pleader, while other court-related legal appointments will be routed through the Law Minister.
In department-specific provisions, transfers of Superintending Engineers and Executive Engineers in the Water Resources Department will be handled by the department minister, and promotions and transfers in the Public Works Department will require the minister’s approval. An official from the Human Resources Management Department said similar instructions have been issued across departments and that the new system is expected to curb bribery in promotions and transfers and support an “corruption-free” administration.
