Post Punjab CM warning, PCS officers withdraw mass casual leave protest

Chandigarh: Punjab Civil Services officers Wednesday decided to withdraw their call for mass casual leave following a meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's additional chief secretary.

A Venuprasad, the additional chief secretary to the chief minister, said PCS officers will join their duties immediately.

Venuprasad said the meeting with the representatives of the PCS Officers' association was held in a congenial atmosphere. The president of the PCS Officers' association Rajat Oberoi also said they would withdraw their call for mass casual leave.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mann had warned PCS officers, who had gone on mass casual leave, to join duties by 2 pm or else face suspension.

The tough stand of the chief minister came after services at administrative offices in the state were hit as Punjab Civil Services officers went on five-day mass casual leave beginning Monday against the arrest of PCS officer Narinder Singh Dhaliwal in Ludhiana by the state vigilance bureau.

Dhaliwal, who was posted as regional transport authority in Ludhiana, was arrested by the vigilance bureau on Friday for allegedly taking bribes from transporters for sparing them challans for offending vehicles, the bureau had said.

However, the Punjab Civil Services officers' association had claimed, "The PCS officer has been arrested illegally, wrongfully and arbitrarily and without due procedure."