MHA Can Initiate Disciplinary Action Against AGMUT IAS Officers: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is legally competent to initiate disciplinary proceedings against IAS officers belonging to the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre, acting as a delegate of the Joint Cadre Authority. The ruling came in a batch of cases including Union of India v. Padma Jaiswal, where disciplinary action initiated by the MHA had been challenged before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which earlier held that only the concerned State Government could exercise such powers. Setting aside the Tribunal’s view, the High Court observed that the AGMUT cadre is a joint cadre spanning multiple states and Union Territories, and therefore cannot be controlled by a single state authority. It held that the MHA, representing the Joint Cadre Authority, has jurisdiction to initiate and conclude disciplinary proceedings and impose penalties on such officers. The judgment reinforces the Centre’s administrative control over joint cadres and clarifies the legal position on disciplinary authority in service law, ensuring uniform governance across jurisdictions.