Saturday, July 30 2005 14:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Candidly admitting his differences with Chief Secretary, G S Kang, over the recent posting of the 17 IPS officers, including Siwan SP Ratn Sanjay, Governor Buta Singh today (July 30, 2005) said it would not, in any way affect, the functioning of the state bureaucracy.

Singh also said his decision on reshuffle was final and that there would be no rethink on it.

It is indeed unfortunate that the Chief Secretary has proceeded on leave but this cannot be termed as a crisis. The administrative machinery is functioning as usual. My decision (on transfer) is final and there will be no rethinking, Singh told reporters.

Admitting that there were differences of opinion between him and Kang over transfer and posting of the IPS officers, Singh said he affected the reshuffle in the police establishment keeping in mind administrative exigencies.

The Governor said he had tried in vain to evolve a consensus on the issue.

Singh said he had constituted a committee comprising his Advisor Arun Pathak, Chief Secretary Kang, Director General of Police Ashish Ranjan Sinha, whom he described as the nodal officer of the police establishment and Home Secretary A K Biswas. The committee had met half-a-dozen times to decide the list of the IPS officials to be shifted but Kang had expressed reservations over shifting of a couple of officials.

"I called Kang to the ante room in my chamber at Secretariat day before yesterday (July 28, 2005) and advised him not to press the issue and concur with other officials but he refused to relent," Singh said, adding, he gave his nod to the proposal in the evening keeping in mind the administrative exigencies.

He denied reports that he had affected the transfers under pressure from United Progressive Alliance (UPA) constituents.