Show cause notice to AP's Principal Secretary Praveen Prakash for exhibiting 'misconduct'

Hyderabad: The in-fight between Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Secretary L V Subramanyam and Principal Secretary (political, general administration) Praveen Prakash has turned ugly.

In the latest, Chief Secretary L V Subramanyam has issued a show-cause notice to Praveen Prakash for not following specific procedures. It was observed that the Principal Secretary had not included few subjects.

According to information received, Principal Secretary Praveen Prakash had submitted the file relating to YSR Lifetime Achievement awards to Chief Secretary, for placing the proposal before the council of minister. The file was returned advising him (Praveen Prakash) to obtain the concurrence of the finance department as per Business rules and re-circulate the file. However disregarding the orders, the file was placed for the proposal without obtaining approval from the Chief Secretary and Chief Minister.

While this wasn’t the stand-alone-case of violation observed against Praveen Prakash, in another instance, the bureaucrat had failed to place before the council of minister, the proposal of gram Nyayalas. It was observed that despite a request made by the secretary Law, keeping in mind the High court directions, the proposal was filed to be presented.

The show-cause notice (a copy with NewsMeter) stated, “Despite clear orders, Praveen Prakash IAS Principal Secretary, has exhibited grave misconduct and misbehaviour as indicated. It is clearly established that the MoS has failed to observe the A. P Business rules and also there is wilful insubordination or disobedience of orders of superior authority. It comes under misconduct and action in a manner unbecoming of a senior officer, thereby violating AIS (conduct) rules 1968.

The order has asked the bureaucrat to submit his explanation within a week.

While the genesis of the in-fight between the two top bureaucrats of Andhra Pradesh was when Chief minister got Praveen Prakash from Delhi to Amaravati to head the crucial general administration department (political) in September, till then, he was serving as a resident commissioner at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in Delhi.

It may be mentioned that Prakash issued a government order (GO Ms No. 128) on October 25, fixing time frames for special chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries to issue orders on the instructions passed by the CM or his office. There has been a debate on the unprecedented order.

While It is observed that, trimming of administrative powers of one bureaucrat and empowering the another, may have led to the indifferences