Early Times Report
CHANDIGARH, Feb 8: In a major administrative action, the Punjab government led by Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Bhagwant Mann suspended two senior IAS officers with immediate effect.
According to official orders, officers Kamal Kishore Yadav and Jaspreet Singh have been suspended.
Although the reasons for their suspension were not specified in the orders, sources said that it stemmed from a six-year delay in procuring smartphones for Anganwadi workers under the Union Government’s Mission Saksham Anganwadi.
The vendor selected by the government for providing smartphones had approached the court for the delay, they further said.
Two additional IAS officers are said to have been transferred in connection with this matter, including Vikas Pratap, who was serving as the Additional Chief Secretary for Social Security.
IAS officer Yadav, a 2003-batch IAS officer, was the administrative secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce, Investment Promotion and Promotion of Information Technology.
Jaspreet Singh, a 2014-batch IAS officer, is the managing director of the Punjab Information and Communication Technology Corporation Limited.
Both officers have been suspended under Rule 3 (1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. During the suspension period, they will remain in Chandigarh, as stated in the orders.
Meanwhile, IAS officer Gurkirat Kirpal Singh has been assigned the responsibilities for Industries, Investment Promotion, and Social Security. Singh had been without a posting for the past 11 months.
This is not the first instance of an IAS officer being suspended during the AAP regime. In February 2025, the State government suspended the then Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Tripathi following “serious complaints of corruption.”
Additionally, in August 2023, senior IAS officers D.K. Tiwari and Gurpreet Singh Khaira were suspended for making a “technically flawed” decision regarding the dissolution of panchayats. |
