Provisional service, Advisory Committees and a three month window: what a merger does to staff

Background

A merger of two union territories leaves every government employee on the rolls of a territory that no longer exists. The law met this by making each such person serve the merged union territory provisionally at first. The central government then decides whether a person is finally allotted for service in the merged territory. The merged union territory, on its part, has to take steps to bring the staff into the services it controls. The central government may set up Advisory Committees so that everyone affected is treated fairly and any representation is considered. A representation against such an order has to be sent within three months of the order being published or notified, whichever is earlier. These service provisions do not apply to members of the All India Services or to persons on delegation from any state. That group includes the administrative, the police and the forest services.