Chandigarh, December 17
Punjab Governor and UT administrator Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd) is about to lose his confidant ADC Major Nirvikar Singh. In his four-year tenure, Nirvikar became very close to Rodrigues and served him with dedication. However, it looks like that his extended tenure at Raj Bhawan is over as he is all set to go on yet another deputation. He is likely to take up his new assignment in the second week of January.
The move as such may appear innocuous but Rodrigues seems to have gone out of the way to facilitate Nirvikar’s deputation since Army rules clearly state that the tenure of an ADC will be strictly for two years following which he will “revert” to his regiment.
However, in Nirvikar’s case, he will be on an Extra Regimental Employment (ERE) for almost six consecutive years — four spent already at Raj Bhawan and now at least two more at his new deputation.
Nirvikar’s original stint at Raj Bhawan was to be for two years but thanks to Rodrigues he got an extension for two years. With his second tenure coming to an end now, it was expected that he would return to his regiment but he has again managed another deputation.
According to sources, as per the policy of posting of officers who have done a tenure as an ADC, they have to be “reverted” to their regiments after completion of 12 or more months. The rules
clearly state, “the tenure of appointment as an ADC will be strictly for two years in the case of civil dignitaries unless
extended by the government under exceptional circum1stances”.
The rules also state that after the completion of his authorised tenure, an ADC should generally be reverted to regimental employment in terms of Para 91 of the DSR and therefore, cannot normally be considered for a staff/ERE tenure in conjunction with his tenure as an ADC. The rules states that after reversion, an officer will return to regimental duties for period not normally less than two years.
Nirvikar has managed these ERE tenures needs no guesses since his proximity to the Governor is well known. Nirvikar confirmed that his deputation to the Centre had been cleared but maintained that no rules had been bent. He said rules provided for such ERE tenures, albeit in exceptional circumstances.
