Four senior IAS officers from Telangana officially joined the Andhra Pradesh cadre today (Thursday) after the Telangana High Court refused to stay the order issued by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The officers – Vani Prasad, Vakati Karuna, Ronald Rose, and Amrapali Kata – reported to Andhra Pradesh chief secretary Nirab Kumar Prasad on Thursday after being relieved from their duties in Telangana on Wednesday evening.
This transfer marks the end of a prolonged legal struggle concerning cadre allocations that dates back to the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2014. The bifurcation left several officers in limbo, with both states vying for experienced administrators. Over the years, multiple officers filed petitions with various judicial bodies, including the High Court, CAT, and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), seeking clarity on their cadre allocation.
On October 9, 2024, the DoPT issued a fresh directive mandating the transfer of five IAS officers from Telangana and three from Andhra Pradesh to their originally allotted cadres. Along with the four officers reporting to Andhra Pradesh, M. Prashanthi has also been transferred, adding to the list of repatriations.
While the Telangana government has already replaced the outgoing officers, the Andhra Pradesh government has yet to issue official orders relieving the newly repatriated officers from their existing posts in Telangana. The repatriation process, marked by legal battles and controversy, remains a highly sensitive issue.