IPS officer Rajesh Verma seems to be heading for a mid-career crisis, as in an action seldom seen in Himachal Pradesh, the state government has placed him under suspension with immediate effect and barred him from leaving the police headquarters without the prior permission of the DGP.
Verma, currently posted as Superintendent of Police (SP), Communication & Technical Services in Shimla, is already facing disciplinary proceedings against him.
His suspension order was issued by Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta on December 3 late in the evening. The suspension was made under Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965.
It has been clarified in the order that departmental action is pending against Verma and he has been suspended under this process. According to the Home Department, copies of the suspension order have also been sent to the Director General of Police (DGP), the Controller of Finance and Accounts, and the relevant personnel files.
Verma is facing the serious allegations of not following government rules, procedures, and guidelines, for which a departmental enquiry against him is already underway. That was the reason why the Sukhu government has taken such a big action against him.
It is a big action, as suspending an IPS officer is a rare incident in the state. It has witnessed only a few such actions in recent years. There are two such examples: Kullu SP Gaurav Singh had been suspended following a slap incident in the Kotkhal Gudia death case, and Zahoor Zaidi, an Inspector General (IG) rank officer, was suspended after his arrest.
In a significant step towards strengthening the asset monetisation programme of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has granted in-principle approval for the registration of ‘Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust’ (RIIT) as an Infrastructure Investment Trust under the SEBI (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014.
The proposed InvIT aims to unlock the monetisation potential of National Highway assets while creating a long-term investment instrument primarily targeted at retail and domestic investors.
As part of the process for securing final registration, Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust will be required to fulfil certain conditions over the next six months. These include the appointment of directors, submission of the required financial statements and compliance with other regulatory requirements.
Last month, NHAI incorporated Raajmarg Infra Investment Managers Private Limited (RIIMPL) as the Investment Manager for RIIT. The company has been established as a collaborative venture with equity participation from several leading banks and financial institutions, including State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, NaBFID, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv Ventures Limited, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, IndusInd Bank and Yes Bank.
In recent years, NHAI has successfully monetised assets worth ₹48,995 crore through the Toll-Operate-Transfer model and raised about ₹43,638 crore through four rounds of private InvITs, attracting both domestic and global investors.
Aligned with SEBI’s InvIT regulations, the public InvIT framework will ensure transparency, strong investor protection, and high standards of reporting and compliance. These measures are expected to significantly enhance public participation in the development of world-class National Highway infrastructure across the country.
A two-day National Conference on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in the power distribution sector under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) will be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi on December 6 and 7.
Organised by the Ministry of Power, the theme of the conference is “Harnessing AI/ML for Smart, Efficient and Sustainable Power Distribution”. The event will showcase advanced use cases of smart meter data analytics, integrated IT and operational technology systems, and smart home automation solutions aimed at improving operational efficiency and enhancing consumer satisfaction across distribution companies in the country.
During the conference, several AI and ML-driven data analytics applications and practical use cases leveraging smart meter technology and integrated IT/OT systems will be demonstrated. The event also seeks to promote the adoption of emerging technologies such as Blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), and home automation to strengthen power distribution management, grid reliability and sustainability.
A total of 195 applications were received for presenting technology solutions at the conference, out of which 51 have been shortlisted. These include presentations by distribution companies, Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Providers, Technology Solution Providers and Home Automation Solution Providers. The shortlisted solutions will highlight real-world implementation of AI and ML for demand forecasting, revenue protection, cost optimisation and digital system integration.
The technology solutions showcased during the conference will be evaluated by expert juries from the power and technology sectors. The top-performing solutions will be awarded by Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal on December 7, 2025.
The conference will be attended by Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, along with senior officials of the ministry, representatives of DISCOMs, technology providers, policymakers and academic experts. (Source-PIB)
The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has failed to find a suitable candidate for the post of Chairman and Managing Director, SJVN Limited at a selection meeting held on December 5, 2025.
The PESB interviewed two candidates for the job following which it did not recommend any candidate for the post and advised the Administrative Ministry or Department to choose an appropriate course of action for selection, including through a search-cum-selection committee (SCSC) or as deemed appropriate with the approval of the competent authority.
Notably, the PESB had invited applications for the top post on September 17, 2025, as the position of CMD at SJVN Limited has been lying vacant since June 20, 2025. In the interim, Bhupender Gupta, CMD of NHPC Limited, has been holding the additional charge of SJVN Limited.
During the selection meeting, the following candidates were interviewed:
Prem Prakash Srivastava, Senior General Manager (HR/A), UP (West) Circle, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited.
Ali Shah, Executive Director (Entity Appraisal-II, Learning & Development and Rajbhasha), Power Finance Corporation Limited.
Senior IAS officer Sudhansh Pant (IAS:1991:RJ), who is currently serving as Secretary in the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, has been given the additional charge of Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (December 5, 2025), the competent authority has approved the assignment of the additional charge to Pant for the period from December 6 to December 16, 2025.
The arrangement has been made during the period of absence on leave of Ranjana Chopra (IAS:1994:OR), who is the regular incumbent Secretary of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
The appointment of former Kerala Chief Secretary K Jayakumar as the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president has got into a legal tangle. Jayakumar’s former colleague, IAS officer B Ashok, has moved the Thiruvananthapuram district court seeking his disqualification on the ground that Jayakumar’s appointment violates Section 7(iii) of the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act.
The petition says that any person holding an office of profit under the government and drawing a government salary is liable for disqualification from serving on the Board.
Ashok contends in his petition that Jayakumar is still continuing as Director of the Institute of Management in Government (IMG), which is a salaried role. Ashok claims to have documentary evidence to support his claim. The petition makes a damaging allegation by saying that his appointment risks making the TDB subservient to government control, harming the interests of Hindus and Sabarimala devotees.
It should be recalled that he was appointed as one of the three members of the TDB with effect from November 14 and was subsequently nominated as its president. Jayakumar had been sworn in on November 15.
The petitioner further argues that the TDB is an autonomous body and that the disqualification provisions exist to safeguard this autonomy. Ashok contends that appointing a legally disqualified candidate undermines the independent functioning of the Board.
After admitting the petition, the district court has issued notices to Jayakumar and others directing them to appear before it on January 15, 2026.
The Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab has granted the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to four IAS officers for the central deputation while denying it to several others. The four officers who have been lucky in getting the NOC are Tejveer Singh (IAS:1994:PB), Dileep Kumar (IAS:1995:PB), Sibin C (IAS:2005:PB) and Varun Roojam (IAS:2004:PB). A government official said that these officers will be getting the posting orders soon.
Those officers who have been denied the NOC include Nilkanth S Avhad (IAS:1999:PB), Alakhnanda Dayal (IAS:2000:PB), Vijay N Zade (IAS:2002:PB). Besides, another officer, Sonali Giri (IAS:2009:PB), too, has been asked to stay put.
This is not all. There are at least four IAS officers who continue to wait for new postings after being transferred from their previous assignments. Some of them have been waiting for posting for last eight months. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh (IAS: 2001:PB) is one such officer. He was removed from the Punjab home secretary’s post on March 24, but he is yet to be assigned any new responsibilities.
Similarly, Puneet Goyal (IAS:2010:PB) was transferred from his position as director of food on February 25, but he has not received a new posting. The same is the case with senior IAS officer AK Sinha (IAS:1996:PB). He was removed as power secretary on November 1, but he has been without posting since then. Similarly, Kanwal Preet Brar(IAS:2007:PB) was removed from Punjab Warehousing Corporation in February and continues to be without posting.
Is Telangana facing a bureaucratic rupture in the state? An inkling of it is coming to the fore with some senior IAS officers, occupying key positions in different departments in the state, reportedly forming an exclusive WhatsApp group to discuss internal matters.
The need to create such a group is causing consternation in a section of bureaucracy as there is a feeling among others that these officers are virtually influencing administrative processes like movement of files, granting approvals, release of funds, etc., based on discussions in this group.
Having closed door discussions on government policies and actions between like-minded officers are not uncommon, but this kind of activities raise doubts. The development is considered crucial as this group has been formed by only those officers who hold crucial posts. A few of them are serving in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and in departments headed by senior Ministers.
These officers are said to be using this group to share views, advices and wisdom on important matters and a decision is taken after arriving at a consensus on a file, or the release of funds, while other officers and subordinates remain in the dark.
The fact that the members of this core group are predominantly from the North, indicates that officers have split on regional basis. Needless to point out that it has not gone down well with senior officers from various departments who get excluded from important decision-making and policy discussions.
To make matters worse there are reports of a cold war between some ministers and IAS officers and it is being rumoured that this group might try to scuttle the files sent by those ministers. If there is a substance in this apprehension, the issue might lead to a big problem for the state.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on Wednesday (December 3, 2025) ordered promotions and fresh postings of 29 officers in the grades of Additional Commissioner, Joint Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner with immediate effect.
Among the Additional Commissioners, Sherin Angela Someetharan (IRS-C&IT:2009) and Parag Karunakar Singh (IRS-C&IT:2009), have been posted to Thiruvananthapuram and Meerut GST and Central Excise Zones respectively on return from deputation. Rajiv Kumar Singh (IRS-C&IT:2009) been posted to DGPM, Delhi, on promotion.
Anu Agarwal (IRS-C&IT:2010) has been posted to Delhi GST and Central Excise Zone on return from deputation, while Surender Malik (IRS-C&IT:2010) and Komila Punia (IRS-C&IT:2011) have been posted to Panchkula GST and Central Excise Zone on return from deputation. Rajesh Kumar Sahu (IRS-C&IT:2010) has been posted to Chandigarh GST and Central Excise Zone on return from deputation. Sudarshan Meena (IRS-C&IT:2011) has been posted as Director General (Audit), Ahmedabad, on promotion.
At the Joint Commissioner level, Abraham Renn S (IRS-C&IT:2013) has been posted to Bengaluru GST and Central Excise Zone on return from deputation, while Anand Prakash (IRS-C&IT:2013) has been posted to Kolkata GST and Central Excise Zone on return from deputation.
Manudev Jain (IRS-C&IT:2014) has been posted as Director General, Systems and Data Management, Mumbai, on promotion. Sunil Shrivastava (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Mumbai GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion, while Santosh Kumar (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Lucknow GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion. Vinuta Mallesha (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Chennai GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion, while Gawali Jayshree Gunvantrao (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Jaipur GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion.
Khushboo Ratre (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Panchkula GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion, while Jawanlal Sonal Subhash (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Visakhapatnam GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion. Nilay Bunker (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Meerut GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion, while Wanere Vikram Vijay (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to DGGI, DZU, Delhi, on promotion.
Ankur (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Pune GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion, while Kalligotta Nagaraju(IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Chennai GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion. Arvind Kumar (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Bhopal GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion, while Rohit Kumar Bhaisare (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Kolkata GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion. Varun Kumar Singh (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Meerut GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion, while Ayush Katheria (IRS-C&IT:2015) has been posted to Chandigarh GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion.
At the Deputy Commissioner level, Naveen Kumar De and Kartikey Dubey, both from the 2016 batch, have been posted to Guwahati and Kolkata GST and Central Excise Zones respectively on return from deputation. Aditya Bhardwaj (IRS-C&IT:2017) has been posted to the Directorate General of Revenue Intelligence (DGRI), Delhi.
At the Assistant Commissioner level, Umesh Mankad (IRS-C&IT:2023) has been posted to Meerut GST and Central Excise Zone on promotion.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on Wednesday (December 3, 2025) ordered the promotion and posting of 10 officers in the grade of Principal Commissioner and Commissioner of Customs and Indirect Taxes with immediate effect.
On promotion as Principal Commissioner, Pradip Kumar Suman (IRS-C&IT:1995) is posted to Chennai North GST and Central Excise, while Harbinder Kaur Prasad (IRS-C&IT:1995) is posted to Kochi GST and Central Excise. S. Anantha Krishnan (IRS-C&IT:1995) is posted as Director General, Systems and Data Management in Delhi, and Upendra Singh Yadav (IRS-C&IT:1995) is posted as Director General, Audit in Mumbai.
On return from deputation, Manjula Dundappa Hosmani (IRS-C&IT:2002) is posted to Chennai-VII Airport Customs. Hari Narayan Meena (IRS-C&IT:2004) is posted to Jodhpur GST and Central Excise on promotion, while Satyabrata Kumar (IRS-C&IT:2004) is posted to the Appeals wing at Siliguri GST and Central Excise following his return from deputation.
Arvind Kumar (IRS-C&IT:2006) is posted to the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), Hyderabad, on return from deputation. Raut Pandurang Kondiram (IRS-C&IT:2006) is posted to Appeals at Thane GST and Central Excise after completing his deputation, while J. Mohammed Navfal (IRS-C&IT:2007) is posted to Audit at Nagpur GST and Central Excise on similar terms.
The government has directed that all the officers shall be relieved immediately and must join at their new place of posting on or before December 15, 2025.
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