Transferring or posting of a mandal revenue officer at a place is purely an administrative decision taken by the District Collector depending on the vacancies and requirement of the local needs.
But it never happens. The posting of an MRO at a place has become a political issue and it does not happen without the knowledge of the local MLA.
Needless to say lakhs of rupees change hands in the transfer or posting, since the MRO would help the MLA concerned to do illegal land dealings. That is precisely why MLAs get angry if the MROs are transferred or posted without his knowledge.
It happened in Anantapur recently. A senior Telugu Desam Party MLA from Anantapur wanted an MRO to be posted in a particular mandal. But the district authorities have already posted an officer in that mandal and told the MLA that his request cannot be entertained.
The MLA was so agitated that he went straight to Amaravati to meet chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu to lodge a complaint against the district collector.
He even threatened to resign from his post, if his recommendation on the MRO appointment is not entertained. Naidu gave him a patient hearing and asked his CMO officer to look into the matter.
With his intervention, Anantapur collector had no option but to oblige the MLA’s recommendation!
