In a notification issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) on February 2, the Gujarat Ministerial Personal Staff (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 1991, have been amended to empower the CM to create posts other than those that already exist under the present system.

This comes soon after Modi personally selected the personal secretaries of his new Ministers last fortnight, in effect taking away their freedom to place their own men in these posts. The exercise saw some habitual occupants of ministers’ offices eased out amid reports that Modi was miffed by their underhand dealings.

The order that notified the amendment is called “Gujarat Ministerial Personal Staff (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Rules, 2008’. It inserts a para that states: “Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules, the Chief Minister may approve the creation of a post other than in the Schedule or may grant any relaxation, as may be deemed necessary.”

Sources said this could be used in case the chief minister wants to tighten the noose further by putting his men in ministers’ chambers.

Issued in the name of the Governor, the new Modi diktat has left ministers wondering how this will further clip their wings. In a set-up where the personality of the chief minister looms large over his colleagues, this move is not likely to see any opposition.