Proposed changes to IAS Cadre Rules 'strike at root of federal polity': Tamil Nadu CM Stalin to PM Modi

In a letter to PM Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin wrote: "I request you to drop these proposed amendments to IAS (Cadre) Rules, 1954 instead engage with state governments to further strengthen the federal spirit of the nation."

Amendments to the IAS Cadre Rules proposed by the Centre, 'strikes at the very root' of the nation's federal polity and state autonomy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday and urged him to drop the move.

Expressing deep concern about the draft amendments proposed by union government, Stalin strongly objected to it. The amendment proposal, "strikes at the very root of our federal polity and state autonomy."

If implemented, the proposed amendments would cause irreparable damage to the spirit of cooperative federalism that exist between union and the states and lead to concentration of powers in the union government, Stalin said in a letter to Modi.

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"I would also like to highlight the fact that many of the state governments are also woefully short of officers at specific seniorities, primarily due to the wrong cadre management policies followed by the union government."

While the union is availing the common pool from Group-I officers at the national level, the state governments solely depend on the limited pool of IAS officers available in the State.

The state governments are on the forefront of implementation of various programmes including the schemes of the union government at the state level. The states also face frequent natural disasters which demands services of IAS officers in the state more than elsewhere.