8 collectors, 7 SPs transferred, axed in two years across MP

Bhopal: The 27-month-old BJP govt in Madhya Pradesh has tried to give a tough message to the bureaucracy.Govt has not been hesitant in removing dist collectors. After an untoward incident, charges of negligence or misbehaving with public, the govt has transferred at least eight dist collectors in over two years. The issue was again in focus as the chief minister on March 22 directed to transfer Sidhi collector, Swarochisha Somavanshi after complaints raised by citizens and public representatives on various issues.Apart from Sidhi, the collectors removed from the other dists in MP included Ashok Nagar, Mauganj, Sagar, Seoni, Harda, Shajapur and Guna. Not only the dist collectors, the govt has also removed dist superintendents of police of Ashok Nagar, Mauganj, Sagar, Seoni, Harda, and Guna, apart from other senior officials.In some cases, the govt was charged for taking action just to showcase a strong message and the officers were given a better position after getting removed.One such incident was of Indore municipal commissioner. MP govt on Jan 2, 2026 took action following the contaminated water incident and removed municipal commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav. He was transferred as deputy secretary in Panchayat and rural development dept, but within a fortnight after the water tragedy he was transferred as MD tourism development corporation on Jan 18.There have been more such examples. The incumbent commissioner, Indore municipal corporation, Kshitij Singhal was removed as Seoni collector in June 2024, after a cow slaughter in Seoni. Kishore Kumar Kanyal incumbent collector, Guna was transferred from the post of Shajapur collector and was posted as deputy secretary at Mantralaya Bhopal in Jan 2024, for misbehaving during the meeting of truck drivers in Shajapur. But was later placed as a dist collector.The top officials pointed out that dist collectors are removed to give a tough message, but at times have to be placed back to an important position due to shortage of experienced officials or political compulsions.