Shimla, April 18:— The BJP has accused Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena of violating “ethical conduct and administrative decorum” after a bill of ₹1.22 lakh for a Holi-cum-retirement party surfaced online. The bill was reportedly sent to the state’s General Administration Department (GAD) for payment.
The controversy erupted after a copy of the bill, issued by Hotel Holiday Home of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, went viral. It detailed lunch and snacks served on March 14 to 75 guests—including IAS, IPS, and IFS officers and their families—as part of Saxena’s retirement celebration. The bill also included lunch for 22 drivers and staff.
Saxena, who was scheduled to retire on March 31, received a six-month extension while the event was underway. He has not issued any public comment.
BJP MLA Bikram Singh called the move a “gross violation” of public ethics and said it reflected the government’s indifference to the public’s hardships. “When the state is reeling under a debt of ₹1 lakh crore, such events show the disconnect between the administration and the people,” he said.
Singh added the act violated the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, and displayed a “neglect of workload and financial discipline.” BJP chief spokesperson Randhir Sharma also questioned the spending, saying a cash-strapped state cannot afford such extravagance
