In a significant administrative action, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Ujjain, Anand Malviya, has been suspended with immediate effect. The suspension follows the issuance of a controversial official order that referenced State Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya's "ghanta" comment in the Indore water contamination case, describing it as a "symbol of authoritarian behaviour".
The Controversial Order and Its Contents
SDM Anand Malviya had issued an order on January 5 concerning law and order directives in the district ahead of proposed Congress protests related to the Indore contamination incident. However, the document went beyond standard administrative language.
It explicitly stated that the deaths occurred due to consumption of "contaminated and dirty water supplied by the BJP-run municipal corporation" in Indore. The order cited figures, alleging that 14 people had died and 2,800 were undergoing treatment.
Most notably, it directly addressed comments made by senior BJP minister Kailash Vijayvargiya on the sensitive issue. The order described his use of the word "ghanta" as "inhuman and a symbol of authoritarian behaviour" and deemed it "highly objectionable". It further noted that Congress State President Jitu Patwari had decided to stage a 'gherao' of BJP MPs and MLAs in protest.
Swift Suspension and Official Reasoning
The reaction from the state administration was swift. The Divisional Commissioner of the Ujjain Division suspended Malviya on grounds of serious negligence and irregularity in the discharge of official duties while handling a highly sensitive matter.
The suspension order, issued by the Commissioner's office, stated that the SDM's order was passed without proper verification based on information received on January 3 about a proposed protest. It highlighted that the order was issued "without examination and on an extremely sensitive and serious issue, using incorrect figures".
The Commissioner's order held that this act reflected "grave negligence, indifference, and irregularity" and constituted misconduct under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965. Using Rule 9 of the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1966, the suspension was enforced immediately.
SDM's Defense and Procedural Flaws
When contacted, the suspended officer, Anand Malviya, offered an explanation. He told The Indian Express that portions of the order appeared to have been lifted from a Congress WhatsApp group circulating a call for protest. He claimed the data on health was from official sources but admitted errors were noticed.
"I rescinded the order and issued a fresh one. But someone made the old order viral," Malviya stated. The suspension was initiated after a proposal from the Dewas Collector's office on January 4, which flagged the original order as procedurally flawed and factually incorrect.
During his suspension period, Malviya's headquarters has been fixed at the Commissioner's office in Ujjain Division. He will be entitled to a subsistence allowance as per prevailing rules. The incident underscores the intense political sensitivity surrounding the Indore water contamination tragedy and the subsequent discourse.
