Chandigarh: A looming bureaucratic standoff between Chandigarh and its neighbours has intensified as the Union Territory administration considers the latest candidates for key civil service posts from Punjab and Haryana with a high chances of rejection.Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria is now reviewing panels of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Haryana Civil Services (HCS) officers that sources say may violate long-standing technical norms and “cooling-off” period requirements, which means that the states are attempting to “re-appoint” officers who have barely left the city limits.
Punjab Panel: A ‘Revolving Door’The Punjab govt has nominated three IAS officers for consideration: Harpreet Singh Sudan (2013 batch), Akash Bansal (2019 batch), and Rubinderjit Singh Brar (2020 batch).
The nomination of Brar has raised eyebrows within the Chandigarh Secretariat. A former Punjab Civil Services officer recently promoted to the IAS, Brar only just departed Chandigarh in Nov 2025 after a lengthy tenure.A senior administration official said: “It is quite shocking that the state government sent his name again for consideration to serve with the Chandigarh administration just two months after he returned to Punjab. Sources noted that Brar had not completed the mandatory three-year “cooling-off” period required between postings in the UT.Haryana Panel: Familiar FacesThe Haryana govt’s HCS panel is also facing scrutiny for including candidates with previous ties to the city’s administration. The nominees include Naveen Ahuja (2004 batch), Kamalpreet (2011 batch), and Manish Kumar Lohan (2013 batch). Lohan previously served a three-year term in Chandigarh from 2019 to 2022, holding several influential roles, including Assistant Estate Officer.
Meanwhile, Kamalpreet’s name was previously submitted and passed over by the UT administration, yet she has been included in the current fresh panel.Decision Rests With AdministratorThe Chandigarh administration has briefed administrator Kataria on the technical discrepancies and the breach of established norms. While the states have the right to nominate, the UT has the prerogative to demand a fresh list if the candidates do not align with service rules. “The final decision will be taken by the administrator after apprising him of the laid-down norms and related rules,” a source confirmed.
If Kataria declines the panels, it will force both states back to the drawing board, potentially delaying the filling of critical administrative vacancies in the city.
