Archive · 11 Sep 2026
Maharashtra Repatriates 625 Staff From Ministers’ Offices Over Irregular Appointments
The Maharashtra government found that many people were working in ministers’ offices without following the required appointment process.
It ordered about 625 of them to return to the departments where they originally worked.
The workers included assistants, clerks and other office staff.
Some had reportedly been appointed through deputation, loan arrangements or oral instructions.
Their Mantralaya entry cards are being collected.
Their facial-recognition access is also being turned off.
Ministers can seek to keep some workers by submitting new proposals for approval.
Officials say they will check each person’s records before approving a new appointment.
The government is also considering changing staffing limits if ministers genuinely need more staff.
Maharashtra has repatriated 625 employees from ministers’ offices to their parent departments over allegedly irregular appointments.
The affected personnel include private secretaries, officers on special duty, personal assistants, clerks and peons.
The General Administration Department ordered the cancellation of appointments made through deputation, loan arrangements or oral orders without required approval.
Mantralaya identity cards are being collected and facial-recognition access for the employees is being disabled.
Officials cited differing staffing figures, with 904 sanctioned posts in one account and about 668 ministerial-office posts in another; 355 posts were described as vacant in the 904-post count.
- Who
- About 625 officials and employees working in Maharashtra ministers’ offices, including private secretaries, officers on special duty, personal assistants, clerks and peons.
- What
- They were relieved from ministers’ offices and sent back to their parent departments after their appointments were found not to have followed the prescribed procedure.
- When
- The repatriation deadline was September 10, 2026, following directives issued on August 25, 2026, and an order described as having been issued about two weeks earlier.
- Where
- Maharashtra ministers’ offices and Mantralaya in Mumbai.
- Why
- The appointments were reportedly made through deputation, loan arrangements or oral orders without the required approvals, affecting parent departments and exceeding approved staffing arrangements.
Rule-Based Appointments
Ministerial Staffing Needs
Cancellation of irregular appointments
Rule-Based Appointments
Government officials say appointments made without the required approvals violate prescribed procedures and should be cancelled, with affected employees returned to their parent departments.
Ministerial Staffing Needs
Officials acknowledge that ministers may need additional manpower and say staffing can be increased by revising the sanctioned pattern, but only through the formal process.
Retaining individual employees
Rule-Based Appointments
Any minister seeking to retain an employee must submit a fresh proposal, supported by integrity, character, confidential and enquiry reports, for General Administration Department and Chief Minister’s Office approval.
Ministerial Staffing Needs
Ministers’ offices may seek to retain particular officials where there is a genuine operational requirement, subject to the new approval process.
- Employees repatriated
- Approximately 625
- Appointment deadline
- September 10, 2026
- Issuing authority
- Maharashtra General Administration Department
- Appointments questioned
- Those made through deputation, loan arrangements or oral orders without prescribed approval
- Sanctioned staffing figures
- One report cites 904 posts for the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and ministers’ offices; another cites about 668 ministerial-office posts
- Reported vacancies
- 355 vacancies in the 904-post staffing count
- Further appointments
- Ministers must submit fresh proposals for review and approval
