Are the postings of DRMs just and fair?

Admin

In the recent past it is seen that the postings of DRMs are not fair and it is based on the whims and fancy of few officers of Railway Board. Because of arbitrary decisions, many cases are pending in CAT, High Court and Supreme Court. It appears a deal among selected few officers including even the top brass officers of Railway Board.

1. One type of #cartel is seen for contesting the case rigorously or not. It is seen that the group choses to withdraw when the opposite party is of their liking, who wins the CAT case then Railway don’t go for appeal in High Court and in few cases when the party is not of their choice then they keep on going High Court, Supreme Court and keep on stretching the case for 2-3 years, so that by that time the officer gets the HAG hence in HAG he cannot become #DRM as per the Railway Board guidelines of DRMs.

In one of the cases which has been undergoing in tribunal or court since 2 years and Railway have lost the case in CAT as well as in High Court even then that officer is not made the DRM and Railway has gone to the Supreme Court and in another case Railway lost the case against one officer in CAT and in a month only that officer is made DRM. The railway is fighting the case not on merit but just for the ego of few officers even though they are losing in CAT and High Court then Railway is going to Supreme Court without any merit of the case.

At the same time in other cases they are immediately withdrawing if the person is of their choice and is contesting the case in CAT, even though there is a full chance of winning in High Court and in Supreme Court due to meritorious case in favour of Railway.

2. Another source of mala fide intentions and biased working of railway is seen in choosing the officer from current year panel or from previous year panel.

Recently it is seen that Railway has formed the panel for IRAS, only when one officer is cleared from the agreed list and vigilance cases during the period March 2025 to May 2025 and made him DRM once all cases were cleared. As per the rules of DRMs guidelines the officer must not have any Vigilance case pending on 1st January of that year. Surprising thing is that his name was omitted due to these cases in the panel of 2024. Even till May 2025, when all these cases were pending, then how his name was shortlisted in the panel of 2025?

Is the Railway Board Vigilance is also involved in it or they are ignoring these pending cases while giving Vigilance clearance?

It is also surprising that the same officer was recommended for minor penalty charge sheet by CVC in the month of May 2025 but the two junior officers in the same case were served the charge sheets but the charge sheet of this officer was hide by Railway Board and NWR Vigilance. How the differential treatment can be meted out by railway among three officers?

3. Similarly, in same cadre one officer is made DRM on 22.04.2025 from the previous year’s (2024) panel even though the vacancy was created in the year 2025 in April. As per the guidelines of DRM the new panel is to be made for unforeseen vacancies arises after 31st December in the next year. It is a Random selection of few officers of their choice, here again the system is not fair by using the panel randomly from current or previous year.

All the cause of this manipulation is the delayed formation of panel by railway board so that some selected Officers are included after the closure of Vigilance cases and then immediately they are made DRM, once the cases are closed till that time they keep on taking the officers from previous year’s panel.

For cleansing the system of posting of DRM, the following steps are the need of the Hour:

  • The panel of any calendar year should be made by the month of January only and anyone on first January having Vigilance case pending or in agreed list shall be omitted immediately, Railway shall not wait for the clearance of vigilance cases of few selected officers.
  • Here It is required to stop this Opaque system of DRM panel formation and it must be displayed on the website by the month of January only of that year. A clear transparency is required for the formation of panel of DRM plus the officers omitted should be given opportunity to represent within 30 days of publishing of that panel on IR website.
  • Railway shall make clear cut guidelines that indefinitely they shall not take officers from previous year’s panel. The panel shall be valid strictly from January 1st to December 31st for that calendar year. The delayed panel formation is a clear source of corruption and manipulation, and it spoil the career of many officers, as railway keep on taking officers from previous year’s panel.
  • Railway has to make it clear that how long they want to go for legal fight. They should not go on stretching the case even though there is no merit in the case and there is a fault of railway and the fault should be voluntarily accepted. It is simply a fight of ego of few Railway Officers that they are going for appeal in High Court then in Supreme Court.
  • If the case is filed by the officer when he was in the SAG then in 2-3 years if he gets the promotion in HAG then Railway should not take the Plea in court of law that since the officer has got HAG then he should not be made the DRM, as it is the fault of railway and the officer has gone to the CAT or Court when he was in SAG and normal judicial proceeding take 2 to 3 years’ time in CAT then in High Court then finally in Supreme Court.