A Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, has been suspended after issuing an official government order that mentioned and criticised a controversial remark made by a state minister. The suspension has drawn attention to how sensitive political matters are handled within administrative documents.
The SDM, Anand Malviya, issued the order while giving directions to maintain law and order in the district. The instructions were related to protests announced by the Congress party over deaths linked to water contamination in Indore. However, instead of limiting the order to administrative instructions, the document included political allegations and strong language.
The order claimed that several deaths occurred after people consumed contaminated and dirty water supplied by the BJP-run municipal corporation in Indore. It stated that 14 people had died and around 2,800 others were undergoing treatment due to the contaminated water. These figures and statements later became a point of concern for senior officials.
The order also referred to remarks made by Kailash Vijayvargiya, the State Urban Development and Housing Minister. His use of the word “ghanta” while responding to questions on the water contamination issue had earlier sparked controversy. In the official notice, the SDM described this comment as “inhuman” and a “symbol of authoritarian behaviour,” calling it highly objectionable given the seriousness of the situation.
The document further mentioned that the Congress State President, Jitu Patwari, had announced protests, including plans to gherao BJP MPs and MLAs. These references made the order appear political rather than purely administrative.
Following this, the Divisional Commissioner of the Ujjain Division suspended Anand Malviya. The suspension order stated that the SDM showed serious negligence and irregularity while dealing with a highly sensitive matter. It also noted that the order was issued without proper verification, based on information received about a proposed protest.
After the controversy, Malviya said that parts of the order were lifted from a Congress WhatsApp message calling for protests. He explained that once the mistakes were noticed, the original order was withdrawn and a corrected version was issued. However, the earlier order had already gone viral.
The suspension proposal was sent by the Collector’s office in Dewas, stating that the order was procedurally flawed and contained incorrect figures. Authorities held that this conduct amounted to misconduct under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services rules.
During the suspension period, Anand Malviya’s headquarters will remain at the Commissioner’s office in Ujjain Division, and he will receive a subsistence allowance as per government rules.
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