This is the third time in the past two years that the High Court has passed similar directions to the West Bengal government to relieve officers of the State cadre to enable them to join their respective spouses working as officers in other State cadres.

The IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre got married in 2020 to an IPS officer of the Bihar cadre. He made an application in June 2021 to the West Bengal government requesting an inter-cadre transfer from West Bengal to Bihar on the grounds of marriage. The Centre sought no objection from the West Bengal and also Bihar governments to the request of the officer.

The Bihar government conveyed its consent to the application in June 2021, however, the West Bengal government rejected the request of the officer. The West Bengal government argued before the tribunal that the request for inter-cadre transfer has not been acceded to due to a shortage of IAS officers in the State.