The Chief Secretary of Telangana Somesh Kumar (IAS:1989:TG) has been appointed as the president of Telangana State IAS Officers’ Institute, a body that also serves as Telangana IAS officers’ association and the same has divided the bureaucratic circles in the state, so much so, that speculations are rife in the power corridors of Hyderabad, that it might be a state government’s planned move to control the top bureaucratic body as Somesh Kumar is known for his closeness to CM K. Chandrashekar Rao.
The group of dissident IAS Officers pointed out several anomalies in the whole process adopted for appointment of Somesh Kumar as the president at the Institute’s annual general body meeting convened on Dec 10. As per the by-laws, the senior most serving IAS officer other than the Chief Secretary, working in Hyderabad, shall be the president of the institute. Somesh Kumar from IAS 1989 batch is neither the senior most serving officer in the state nor is from Telangana Cadre, as he was originally allotted to Andhra Pradesh cadre at the time of state bifurcation. Most importantly, he is the Chief Secretary, and the by-laws clearly mention that only the ” Senior most IAS Officer of state cadre, other than the Chief Secretary” can only become the top IAS Officers’ body’s president, creating doubts and discomfort over his appointment.
Suresh Chandra (IAS:1985:TG), Member Secretary, Telangana State Finance Commission, has been vocally opposing Somesh Kumar’s appointment to the top IAS body in the state. His dissent becomes significant as he headed the institute on automatic pass on basis after the previous president BP Acharya retired in October 2020. He expressed his dissent over the declaration of Somesh Kumar as the president in violation of the tradition and by-laws. Chandra further pointed out that the AGM itself was not according to the by-laws and it was not correct to mention in the notice dated 3rd December 2020 that AGM will be chaired by the vice president.
Similar situation occurred in the past, involving Somesh Kumar’s appointment as the Chief Secretary last December, when as many as 13 IAS officers senior to him expressed their unwillingness to work under him. The issue dissolved then, in a few weeks time.
