In a strong move against arbitrary job shuffling, the Uttarakhand High Court has directed the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation (UAFDC) to establish clear transfer guidelines after an employee was reassigned three times within just 20 days.
A bench comprising Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Ashish Naithani took note of the repeated transfers, highlighting the financial and logistical strain such actions impose on employees. The Court warned that, without clear regulations, transfer orders risk being continuously challenged on grounds of arbitrariness.
The case was brought by Rakesh Kumar, a UAFDC employee who faced multiple transfers within July 2023 alone—on the 12th, 27th, and 31st. Terming the situation “shocking,” Kumar argued that he was being shuffled without any apparent misconduct, making the transfers seem punitive despite lacking formal justification.
The Court had previously granted him interim relief, but the transfers persisted, forcing him to seek judicial intervention yet again. His latest move came after a February 2 transfer to Kaladhungi, where his counsel assured the Court he would now remain.
In response, the Court directed UAFDC to draft and submit transfer guidelines by June 2, ensuring such arbitrary relocations do not become a recurring issue. While Kumar’s immediate plea has been addressed, the broader matter of UAFDC’s employee transfer policy remains under judicial review.
