UP IAS Officer Rinku Singh Seeks 50% Salary Cut, Cites ‘Lack of Work’

A 2023-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, Rinku Singh Rahi, has written a five-page letter to the state’s Appointment and Personnel Department, seeking either a 50 per cent reduction in his salary or a transfer to a posting where he can discharge his duties in accordance with the law.

Rahi, currently serving as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Judicial, said the post involves only around four hours of work a day and argued that his salary should be reduced accordingly if he continues in the same position.

In his letter dated July 15, 2026, Rahi said that after completing training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), he remained attached to the Revenue Board for nearly a year without any work. Referring to his ethical principle, he wrote, “I believe in drawing salary only in proportion to the work performed.” Following his request, he was posted as SDM in Jalaun.

Rahi’s Claims

Highlighting his administrative initiatives, Rahi said he created separate WhatsApp groups for every village panchayat and urban locality, bringing officials and citizens onto a common platform. He described these groups as a “digital e-Chaupal” and “evidence-based, real-time social audit” mechanisms aimed at improving transparency, accountability and public participation.

However, Rahi alleged that several important administrative details were not shared despite repeated requests. He wrote that this resulted in “a parallel administrative work culture developing alongside the written system, which is contrary to the fundamental principles of transparency, accountability and basic governance.”

The IAS officer also alleged interference in administrative functioning during his tenure as SDM, Jalaun. He claimed that the District Magistrate, in the presence of BJP MLA Gauri Shankar Verma, instructed that “no action should be taken in cases related to illegal land occupation and encroachments in the tehsil area.”

Transfer Request

Rahi further alleged that an inquiry into alleged illegal encroachments involving the name of Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Swatantra Dev Singh was obstructed. He claimed that a controversy was created around the inspection of a cold storage facility owned by Ramraja Niranjan and that he was transferred as SDM (Judicial) before the inquiry committee submitted its report.

Explaining his demand for reduced pay, Rahi wrote, “At present, the post of SDM (Judicial) involves only about two hours of work, and even after including file work and related duties, it amounts to a maximum of four hours a day.” He added, “Therefore, only 50 per cent salary should be drawn for this assignment.”

Rahi requested that he either be posted as SDM in a tehsil where he could implement “basic governance in accordance with the written system and constitutional values” or be considered for a cadre transfer to another state. He also requested that his decision to draw half salary from July 22, 2026, should not be treated as indiscipline.

Background

Born in Aligarh on May 20, 1982, Rahi comes from a lower middle-class family background. He completed his BTech in Metallurgy from NIT Jamshedpur in 2002 after securing All India 17th rank in GATE. He later shifted his focus towards civil services and cleared the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission examination in 2004.

Rahi joined the Uttar Pradesh government as a District Social Welfare Officer and was posted in Muzaffarnagar in 2008. During his service, he took interest in social development initiatives and was associated with setting up a library and adult education centre in Aligarh. He also worked as a coordinator at a state-run coaching institute for IAS and IPS aspirants from the Dalit community.

After continued preparation, Rahi cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2022 and was allotted the Indian Administrative Service with the Uttar Pradesh cadre.

Previous Controversy

Earlier in April 2026, Rahi had come into the spotlight after seeking a “technical resignation” from the IAS, describing it as a request for support rather than an exit from service. He alleged that he faced a lack of institutional support while attempting to work against what he described as a “parallel system” within administration.

During his tenure as District Social Welfare Officer, he had exposed alleged irregularities in scholarship and pension schemes. In March 2009, he survived an attack in which he was hit by seven bullets. The incident left him with serious injuries, including loss of vision in one eye and a dislocated jaw.

Rahi had also earlier written letters requesting that his salary not be paid for periods when he claimed he was not performing duties, citing the principle of “No Work-No Pay.”