Saturday, August 20 2005 09:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Amid the controversy over his letter to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, seeking favour for a railway official, Governor Buta Singh has instructed heads of all departments to route the files through Chief Secretary G S Kang, apparently clipping wings of his Advisor Arun Pathak, considered close to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) boss.

''Now all the files to the Governor must be routed through the office of the Chief Secretary,'' a notification issued by the State Cabinet and Coordination Department here, late last evening (August 19, 2005), said.

Singh also withdrew the earlier notification by which Pathak was given key departments, including Home, Finance and Personnel.

Talking to PTI over phone, Chief Secretary Kang, currently in New Delhi, confirmed that the Raj Bhavan had made it clear that the files should not be sent directly to the Governor but through him with a note and comments.

Under the new arrangement, the department heads and secretaries, who were under Pathak, would send their files to him (Pathak) and after his comments, the files would return to the respective departments and then be sent to the Chief Secretary, who after persual, would forward those to Raj Bhavan, official sources elaborated.

Pathak, considered very close to RJD chief Lalu Prasad, was Chief Secretary when the latter was Chief Minister.

Kang, who had recently created a flutter by proceeding on leave following transfer of 17 IPS officers by the Governor without taking him into confidence, had strongly protested 'bypassing' of his office relating to key departments like Home, Finance and Personnel.

While backing Kang, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had charged the Governor and Pathak with acting at the behest of Lalu Prasad.

Pathak has been in the eye of a storm ever since he was appointed Advisor to the Governor, with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ally Lok Janshakti Party vehemently opposing his appointment for his reported proximity to the RJD chief.

Ending the week-long standoff with Buta Singh, Kang had resumed his duties on August 5, 2005 following an assurance by the Raj Bhavan that his 'position and prestige' will not be compromised in future.

The notification comes close on the heels of the controversy sparked off by the recommendatory letter written by the Governor to the Railway Minister, seeking posting of two senior railway officials with the NDA demanding immediate recall of Buta Singh.

An exercise was also on to constitute a council of Advisors, on the lines of the council of ministers, which would look into all the proposals and policies before sending it to the Governor for his nod, the sources said. The council of Advisors will include Chief Secretary.