MEMORANDUM IN PUBLIC INTEREST
Date: 15.8.2026
To,
The Hon’ble Governor,
State of Uttar Pradesh,
Raj Bhavan, Lucknow
Subject: Memorandum regarding the uniform principle of minimum 300 kilometres transfer/posting for employees of the Government of Uttar Pradesh having sensitive and direct public dealings.
Hon’ble Sir/Madam,
I respectfully submit this Memorandum in Public Interest regarding the need to strengthen impartiality, accountability and public trust in grassroots administration.
The officers and employees working in Tehsils, Development Blocks and Police Establishments exercise important public powers and remain in continuous direct contact with citizens.
At the Tehsil and revenue level, matters relating to mutation, land records, demarcation, encroachment, revenue recovery, certificates, possession and other land-related disputes are dealt with by revenue officers and field-level employees. A very large number of land and revenue-related disputes ultimately reach the courts and revenue courts, resulting in prolonged litigation. Although there are many reasons for this pendency, nevertheless, delay, erroneous field reports, verification, local influence, daily local personal engagements and nepotism contribute to disputes and litigation.
Similarly, at the Development Block level, officers and employees are responsible for the verification, implementation and monitoring of various government welfare and rural development schemes.
At the police level, officers and employees deal with complaints, investigation, verification, preventive action and matters relating to law and order. Their decisions can directly affect the rights and interests of citizens.
In such circumstances, the posting of employees and officers having direct public dealings and working on sensitive posts in their native district or around it may create situations of actual or potential conflict of interest due to family, kinship, nepotism, social, political and other local relationships.
Therefore, it is proposed that the Government of Uttar Pradesh may consider such a uniform policy under which:
1. Employees and officers specifically posted at Tehsils, Development Blocks and Police Establishments and other sensitive, directly public-facing field-level posts should generally be posted at least 300 kilometres away from their hometown/native district, so that daily or frequent commuting from their native place is practically not possible, which directly hampers government functioning. Posting at a distance of less than 300 kilometres, or at such a distance from where the employee commutes from his/her native place, would defeat the basic objective of the proposed policy.
2. Periodic transfers should be prescribed so that long-term local influence and vested interests do not develop in sensitive posts, without any restriction to the Divisional area.
3. Transfers should be made on uniform, transparent and objective criteria, so as to reduce excessive personal interests and involvement.
4. An appropriate geographical distance will reduce the possibility of local political or social pressure, favouritism, nepotism, conflicts of interest and undue influence, and officers and employees will be able to discharge their duties in the public interest with greater independence and impartiality.
It is also noteworthy that lakhs of ordinary citizens of Uttar Pradesh migrate thousands of kilometres away from their native places to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and other States of Southern India, etc., for their ordinary livelihood.
On the other hand, government employees of Uttar Pradesh receive better salaries, allowances and other service benefits, and it can also reasonably be expected of them that they should serve anywhere within the State of Uttar Pradesh at least.
Prayer:
Therefore, I respectfully request that the Hon’ble Governor may kindly refer this proposal to the competent authority/Personnel Department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, so that the principle of a minimum 300-kilometre geographical posting distance for sensitive and directly public-facing government employees and officers such as Lekhpals, Kanungos, Block Secretaries, VDOs, ADOs, officers and police personnel, etc., may be examined and considered.
This proposal is not being presented as an allegation against any particular employee or department, but as a preventive administrative reform. Its objective is to improve the impartiality, accountability, efficiency and credibility of grassroots administration and thereby strengthen the interests and trust of the public in government institutions.
Yours faithfully,
Thakur Prasad, LL.B.
Social Activist, Retired Joint General Manager/CPSU
Address: Balipur, Kazisaray, Varanasi
221105.
Email: tpy100@yahoo.co.in