CAT to DoPT: Relieve IAS officer Siva Shankar Lotheti, transfer him to Andhra in 2 weeks

Hyderabad: Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has set a two-week deadline for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to relieve IAS officer Siva Shankar Lotheti and facilitate his transfer to Andhra Pradesh.

The CAT warned that failure to comply would invite strict action, including the freezing of the DoPT Secretary's salary.

The officer returned to Telangana following the Centre’s directive

Siva Shankar Lotheti, an officer originally allotted to the Telangana cadre during the 2014 bifurcation, was serving in Andhra Pradesh based on earlier CAT directions.

However, in October 2024, the Union Government issued fresh orders directing all All India Services (AIS) officers to return to their original cadres.

Though these orders were challenged by several officers in tribunals and courts, they received no interim relief. As a result, most officers, including Lotheti, complied and returned to their originally allotted states. Lotheti resumed service in Telangana accordingly.

CAT terms reallocation erroneous

Lotheti later contested his reallocation, arguing that he is a native of Andhra Pradesh and should be posted there. On February 28, 2025, the CAT ruled in his favour, stating that assigning an Andhra Pradesh native to Telangana was unjustified.

The Tribunal held that relying solely on a postal address in Ranga Reddy district to establish nativity was legally flawed and directed his reallocation to Andhra Pradesh.

Non-implementation triggers contempt proceedings

Despite the Tribunal's clear order, the DoPT failed to act for over two months. In April 2025, Lotheti filed a contempt petition seeking enforcement of the February directive.

The CAT then gave the DoPT four weeks to comply and cautioned that further delay could attract contempt proceedings. The Centre subsequently challenged the Tribunal’s order in the High Court. However, the High Court dismissed the appeal and upheld the CAT’s ruling.

Final opportunity for DoPT to Act

When the matter came up again before the CAT on Thursday, the Tribunal expressed strong displeasure over the delay and granted the DoPT one final opportunity to implement the February order.

It warned that if Lotheti is not relieved and transferred within the stipulated time, the Tribunal would initiate strict action, including freezing the salary of the DoPT Secretary.