Is transfer a reward or punishment: HC

Government asked in a PIL plea relating to illegal constructions

Is transfer of an officer facing disciplinary proceedings a reward or punishment? Telangana High Court posed this question to State government on being informed that Adilabad Municipal Commissioner Maruti Prasad, against whom an inquiry was launched for permitting construction of a commercial complex in a land meant for hostel for students, was posted as Jagtial Municipal Commissioner. A bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, recently hearing a PIL petition on illegal constructions in government land allotted to build hostel for students, expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in initiating action against the officer responsible for allowing the illegal structure to come up. State government allotted land to Munnuru Kapu Sangham in Adilabad for construction of hostel for students. In September of 2019, a person filed PIL petition alleging that the Sangham began constructing a commercial complex in the allotted land. The HC issued notices to the officers concerned and the State government to explain their stand.