Lauding Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ mission to make Mantralaya “dalal-free” (agent-free), Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator Rais Shaikh has urged him to take strict action against private individuals operating illegally from the offices of certain IAS officers.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, Shaikh expressed his support for the initiative, which aims to eliminate the influence of middlemen and ensure good governance. He emphasised that this much-needed step seeks to dismantle the nexus between ministerial staff and agents within the state secretariat for the benefit of the public.
However, Shaikh pointed out that while efforts have been made to curb middlemen linked to ministerial staff, agents working from the offices of bureaucrats and senior IAS officers for years—sometimes even decades—have been overlooked.
“A section of secretaries has illegally appointed private individuals who operate from their offices regularly. These individuals not only attend meetings and conduct reviews but also issue instructions to department staff on daily matters. They even coordinate with developers and project proponents regarding compliance and other official affairs. This unlawful involvement in government operations sets a bad precedent and is unprecedented,” said Shaikh, who represents Bhiwandi (East).
The SP MLA urged Fadnavis to take swift and decisive action before the situation worsens. “Before this issue escalates beyond control, I urge you to immediately remove such private individuals acting as agents in bureaucrats’ offices to achieve a truly dalal-free Mantralaya,” he added.
