In the premier service of India, an IAS officer is considered the backbone of the country, serving in various capacities and contributing to the overall development of the nation. Similarly, an Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) is the second-highest-ranking official after the Deputy Commissioner in the district administration. They play a pivotal role in implementing government schemes and policies, as well as in the functioning of the government.
In Haryana, to ensure smooth administrative functioning and timely implementation of schemes, the permanent post of Additional Deputy Commissioner has been approved in all 22 district headquarters. According to the rules and regulations, an HCS (Haryana Civil Service) official, the second-highest administrative post after an IAS, can also be deployed as an ADC. However, IAS officials currently hold most of the ADC positions in the state.
It has come to light that previously, officials assigned as ADC also had the responsibility of District RTA (Regional Transport Authority) and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of DRDA (District Rural Development Agency) simultaneously. Presently, no such system exists. However, the ADC holds the charge of District Citizen Resource Information Officer (DCRIO) in their respective districts.
The HCS-EB (Haryana Civil Service – Executive Branch) cadre number determination order was issued by the state government in October 2020 and is currently in force. The order indicates the addition of 15 ADC posts in the HCS cadre, where officers with Selection Grade/Super Time Scale or 9 to 18 years of HCS service can be posted.
Despite this, only four senior HCS officials have been deployed as ADCs in Panipat, Panchkula, Kaithal, and Rohtak. Contrary to the expectations, HCS officials have been kept away from ADC positions in 11 districts, despite having a sufficient number of officials.
Providing more insight into the matter, an expert and lawyer in the Punjab and Haryana High Court mentioned that despite the HCS Cadre Strength Determination Order 2020 showing 15 ADC posts for HCS officers, only four HCS officers have been appointed as ADCs in the state. This raises questions, and perhaps the HCS Officers’ Association has not yet addressed this issue with the state government. Regarding the determination of the IAS cadre strength of the state, it was last notified by the Central Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) in December 2018. Currently, only seven ADC posts are included. Among them, four IAS officers of the 2016 batch, namely Dr. Vivek Bharti, Dr. Harish Kumar Vashishta, Jainder Singh Chillar, and Brahmjit Singh Rangi, serve as ADCs in Sirsa, Jind, Charkhi Dadri, and Fatehabad, respectively.