Tamil Nadu: Mass transfers within prison department irks personnel

CHENNAI: The mass transfer of personnel within the prison department is brewing into a controversy, with many considering legal recourse.

While senior officials have defended the transfer decisions, warders, chief head warders, and assistant jailers have described them as ‘arbitrary’ and contrary to existing government orders.

In a single order on May 27, DIG of Prisons Maheswar Dayal has transferred a total of 176 chief head warders. Personnel serving at Palayamkottai Central Prison have been transferred to Vellore Central Prison -- approximately 600 kilometres away -- and vice versa, while personnel serving in sub jails in Nagapattinam and Ooty have been transferred to Coimbatore and Palayamkottai respectively -- ranging between 350 to 450 kms.

This pattern of long-distance transfers is reflected across the board, including in the reassignment of assistant jailers, warders, and head warders over the past two months.

While personnel transferred to jails above 400 km have been given eight days to report for duty, others have been asked to report within six days.

This transfer also comes as a double whammy, as they have received oral communication to vacate the quarters at the earliest.

“My two children are in high school now, and I have paid school fees. What am I supposed to do now?" bemoans personnel in the Coimbatore range.

“Nearly 250 personnel have been transferred since April, starting from assistant jailers. This could have a detrimental effect on staff morale and impact the working environment, posing challenges to the smooth functioning of prison administration," said an official on condition of anonymity.

He recalled that former DGP of Prisons C Sylendra Babu conducted transfers through a counselling process and in a fair manner, ensuring minimal disruption to family life. Personnel were previously transferred within a radius of 60 to 100 kilometres of their residence, enabling them to remain close to their families.

Government norms permit the transfer of employees once every three years, but there are specific rules and government orders concerning the posting of married couples in service to the same station, provided it does not adversely affect administration or public interest.

The GO issued by the Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Personnel M) Department in 1977 also emphasises that these instructions must be implemented strictly, with deviations allowed only under exceptional circumstances.

"The order clearly states that if both husband and wife are in government service, they should be posted or transferred to the same station to enable them to lead a normal family life and ensure the well-being and education of their children," said a chief warder who has been transferred to Palayamkottai from the Vellore Range.

His wife is a government school teacher working in the same locality, while their daughter is pursuing medical studies and their son is in Class IX.

"An assistant jailer has already secured a stay order against his transfer by approaching the court," said another person from Madurai Central Prison, who was transferred from a southern district to Vellore in the north. He added that many others are planning to follow suit, seeking judicial remedy.

"If there are proven charges of corruption, authorities may transfer personnel to any location. Periodical transfers are acceptable, but they must be carried out appropriately, with consideration for the staff's family circumstances," said one of the 176 personnel transferred.

When contacted, a senior official stated that those transferred had been working in the same prison for over five years. He justified the move as part of a broader effort to dismantle entrenched corruption and syndicates operating within prisons and sub-jails across the state.

"The transfer exercise was undertaken after taking various factors into account," the official said, declining to elaborate further.