New Delhi:
The Central government has removed senior IAS officer Padma Jaiswal from service after the conclusion of a prolonged disciplinary inquiry into corruption allegations dating back nearly two decades.
Padma Jaiswal, a 2003-batch AGMUT cadre officer, was accused of misusing her official position and allegedly misappropriating public funds while serving as the Deputy Commissioner of West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh during 2007-08.
The case, which has remained under scrutiny for years, finally concluded after multiple rounds of administrative and legal review. Jaiswal had initially been suspended in 2008 following the allegations, but was later reinstated while the inquiry continued.
According to reports, the disciplinary proceedings under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules gained momentum again after the Delhi High Court, in April 2026, overturned an earlier jurisdictional challenge linked to the case.
Following this development, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) reportedly recommended major disciplinary action against the officer. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) also supported the proposal for a stringent penalty.
The Centre subsequently ordered her removal from service, effectively bringing an end to her career in the Indian Administrative Service.
Officials described the dismissal of a senior serving IAS officer as an exceptional step, highlighting the seriousness of the findings that emerged during the inquiry proceedings.
However, reports noted that removal from service does not automatically prohibit an individual from holding all future government-related roles, though such dismissals remain rare in India’s bureaucratic structure.
Reacting to the reports, Padma Jaiswal told The Indian Express that she was “not aware of any such development or any dismissal order being passed.”
Who Is Padma Jaiswal?
Padma Jaiswal studied at St. Xavier’s School before pursuing higher education at the University Business School, Panjab University, where she completed her MBA, according to her LinkedIn profile.
She is also a certified Company Secretary through the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
Before entering administrative service, Jaiswal reportedly worked as a UGC Research Fellow and focused on interdisciplinary subjects including business administration, financial management, international affairs, and legal personnel management.
Over a career spanning more than 20 years, she held several key administrative positions across Delhi, Goa, Puducherry, and Arunachal Pradesh as part of the AGMUT cadre.
The case is being viewed as one of the more significant disciplinary actions involving a senior IAS officer in recent years and underscores the government’s emphasis on bureaucratic accountability and vigilance oversight.