Amrapali Kata’s Bid for Telangana Cadre Rejected: Ordered Back to Andhra Pradesh
The High Court also noted that Kata’s challenge to these guidelines represented an overreach into policymaking, highlighting the importance of maintaining established procedures for officer allocation.
Hyderabad: In a setback for IAS officer Amrapali Kata, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions has rejected her request for allocation to the Telangana cadre, as confirmed on October 9. Currently serving as the Commissioner of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Kata was initially part of the 2010 Andhra Pradesh cadre.
Kata’s request was based on her desire to be considered for the Telangana cadre, but the Khandekar Committee, which reviewed her case, denied her appeal. The committee referenced previous challenges Kata had made against the guidelines for IAS officer allocations following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, a stance that had been upheld by the High Court.
In its detailed report, the Khandekar Committee pointed out that Kata had listed her “permanent address” as Visakhapatnam in her UPSC application, raising questions about her claim to be considered an insider of Telangana. However, the Pratyush Sinha Committee had previously denied this request, emphasizing that the allocation process followed uniform procedures based on factual records established during the bifurcation.
The ministry supported the Khandekar Committee’s recommendations, reiterating the necessity of adhering to guidelines to prevent any discriminatory practices. The High Court also noted that Kata’s challenge to these guidelines represented an overreach into policymaking, highlighting the importance of maintaining established procedures for officer allocation.
Consequently, Amrapali Kata is now required to return to the Andhra Pradesh cadre.
Background on Amrapali Kata:
Born on November 4, 1982, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Amrapali Kata completed her schooling at Sai Satya Mandir School in her hometown. She pursued a B.Tech degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chennai, followed by an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Bangalore. Prior to her civil service career, she worked at ABN AMRO Bank. Kata secured the 39th rank in the 2010 UPSC exam and was one of the youngest candidates to achieve this milestone. Notably, she was the first woman IAS officer to be appointed as the District Collector of Warangal Urban District.
