Transfer Ban Imposed Across Rajasthan: Over 20,000 Transfers Approved Before Deadline, BJP Influence Prevails

Jaipur, January 16: The Rajasthan government has imposed a ban on transfers across all departments starting midnight Wednesday. With the moratorium in place, no further transfers will be processed until further notice. The last-minute rush saw over 20,000 transfers approved across departments, with several processed under backdated orders.

The ban follows the government’s earlier decision to temporarily lift restrictions from December 30 to January 10, later extended to January 15. However, the Education Department was excluded from this relaxation due to pending policy decisions and board exam preparations.

Departments Witnessing the Most Transfers

Transfers were predominantly seen in departments with large employee bases, including:

• Medical and Health
• Electricity
• Public Health Engineering (Water Supply)
• Panchayati Raj
• Rural Development

In many cases, transfers were influenced by recommendations from BJP legislators and leaders, with decisions largely based on their “desires.”

Impact on Administrative Work

For the past 15 days, routine work across the state secretariat, ministers’ offices, and residences was severely disrupted due to the overwhelming influx of transfer requests.

• Employees, leaders, and stakeholders crowded government offices seeking approvals.
• Many ministers avoided the secretariat, operating from private offices instead.

With the ban now in effect, administrative functions are expected to normalize, bringing routine operations back on track.

Education Department Excluded

The Education Department continued to remain under a transfer ban due to:

1. Unfinished Transfer Policy: A new transfer policy is yet to be finalized.
2. Board Exams: Preparations for board exams were cited as a reason to avoid disruptions.

Grade-3 Teachers:

• Grade-3 teachers have been waiting for transfer opportunities for years.
• The last transfer for this category occurred during the Vasundhara Raje government.
• The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government has also maintained the ban.

Key Observations on Transfers

• BJP Influence: The majority of transfers catered to demands from BJP leaders and workers, particularly targeting employees stationed since the Congress regime.
• Low Transfer Volume: While over 20,000 transfers were approved, the number was far below the demand due to limited time and holidays during the relaxation period.
• Administrative Challenges: The last-minute rush led to delays, with several approvals pending as the ban came into effect.

Demands for Further Relaxation

BJP leaders and workers have been lobbying for an extension of the transfer window to one month, citing the need for broader reorganization. However, with the Budget Session of the Assembly starting on January 31, the government opted for a shorter timeframe.

Possibility of Lifting the Ban Again

The government is likely to reconsider lifting the ban after the Budget Session, potentially in May or June, to address pending demands.