Pandian's wife Sujata R Karthikeyan joins duty after Odisha govt rejects leave extension plea

Bhubaneswar, Nov 27 (PTI) A day after her request to extend her childcare leave was rejected by the Odisha government, senior IAS officer Sujata R Karthikeyan resumed her duties in the finance department on Wednesday.

Karthikeyan, a 2000-batch IAS officer, had been on childcare leave (CCL) for six months from May 31, just before the last phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Odisha. Her leave period ended on November 26.

She is married to V K Pandian, a former bureaucrat who later entered politics and became a close aide of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik . Pandian retired voluntarily in 2023 and subsequently joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

In May 2024, the Election Commission had ordered Karthikeyan’s transfer to a non-public dealing department following allegations of misuse of public office. At the time, she was serving as the commissioner-cum-secretary of the department of Mission Shakti.

On Tuesday, the general administration and public grievance department informed Karthikeyan that her application for an extension of childcare leave had been denied. According to the department’s letter, she was directed to join her duties on Wednesday after completing her initial leave period, which ended on November 26.

"I am directed to invite a reference to your letter of dated 04.11.2024 (sanction of extension of CCL for six months from November 27) and say that after careful consideration, your leave application for extension of CCL is not acceded to. You are, therefore, requested to join on 27.11.2024 i.e. after availing of the CCL from 31.05.2024 to 26.11.2024," said letter issued by Manoj Mohanty, additional secretary, general administration and public grievance department.

The department had on June 7 granted since to your letter of dated 04.11.2024 (sanction of extension of CCL for six months from November 27) and say that after careful consideration, your leave application for extension of CCL is not acceded to. You are, therefore, requested to join on 27.1nce to your letter of dated 04.11.2024 (sanction of extension of CCL for six months from November 27) and say that after careful consideration, your leave application for extension of CCL is not acceded to. You are, therefore, requested to join on 27.1nce to your letter of dated 04.11.2024 (sanction of extension of CCL for six months from November 27) and say that after careful consideration, your leave application for extension of CCL is not acceded to. You are, therefore, requested to join on 27.1x-month childcare leave to Karthikeyan to take care of her daughter appearing in her class 10 examination. PTI AAM RG AAM MNB