Singh is not the lone case in Bihar bureaucracy, though. Another senior IAS officer, S K Sinha (1974), has been "languishing" as state editor, Bihar gazetteers, since 2004 without any salary.

Former Vaishali DM Lallan Singh is yet to get a new posting. He had been removed from the post following a lynching case in the district. Besides Singh, V Jayashankar (1973) is also awaiting posting. Jayashankar has joined after long leave.

Some other officials are yet to get their chambers. Three senior IAS officials, B B Srivastava, Manoj K Srivastava and Anil Kumar, were appointed commissioner, departmental inquiries, more than three months back but are yet to get their chambers.

Sources said that two senior IAS officials - R K Singh, principal secretary, road construction department and disaster management, and Navin Kumar, principal secretary finance (both 1975 batch), are likely to go on central deputation. The government will face another crisis with the retirement of Madan Mohan Singh, a chief secretary rank officer and at present CMD, Bihar State Housing Board, in July end. Another CS-rank officer R C Vaishya, advisor, Bihar State Planning Board, will retire in August. Some of the posts like advisor, planning board, member, board of revenue, have become a "dumping ground" of "unawanted" officers.

An official in the department of personnel and administrative reforms said that officers are appointed as per the administrative requirements. No posts in government departments are less important in terms of work and responsibility, he added.