Ordering sweeping reforms to insulate the bureaucracy from frequent transfers, the court ruled that ‘the civil servants shall not act on verbal orders, cannot be transferred frequently, and are entitled to a fixed tenure.’ It directed the Centre, state governments and union territories to constitute within three months a civil services board comprising high-ranking serving officers with the cabinet secretary at the Centre, and the chief secretary at the state level to guide and advise on all service matters, especially transfers, posting and disciplinary action.
