With the extended tenure of current Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Deka, a 1988-batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IPS officer, set to end on June 30, speculation over his successor has intensified in bureaucratic and security circles.
Deka, who has been heading the Intelligence Bureau since 2022, had initially been appointed for a fixed two-year tenure. He later received two successive one-year extensions, with the current extension ending on June 30, 2026.
Sources said discussions around potential successors have gathered momentum, indicating that another extension for Deka now appears unlikely unless the government decides otherwise.
Among the names being discussed prominently is Rithwik Rudra, a 1993-batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IPS officer currently serving as Special Director in the IB. Rudra has earlier served as Additional Director and Joint Director in the agency and is regarded as an experienced intelligence officer within security circles.
Another senior officer being seen as a contender is Sunita Khakhar, a 1996-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer who is also serving as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau.
The final decision on the next IB chief is expected closer to the end of Deka’s tenure later next month.
With the tenure of incumbent Praveen Sood, a 1986-batch Karnataka cadre IPS officer, set to end on May 24, 2026, the process to appoint the next Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has gathered momentum in New Delhi.
A high-powered selection committee meeting is likely to be held on May 12 to finalise the appointment of the next CBI Director. The committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, includes Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
According to sources familiar with the development, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has almost finalised the list of senior IPS officers to be considered by the high-powered committee.
Among the officers being discussed prominently for the post are Parag Jain, a 1989-batch Punjab cadre IPS officer currently serving as chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW); Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor, a 1990-batch Haryana cadre IPS officer serving as Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP); G P Singh, a 1991-batch IPS officer serving as DG, CRPF; and Yogesh Gupta, a 1993-batch Kerala cadre IPS officer currently serving as DGP, Fire and Rescue Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards in Kerala.
However, bureaucratic circles believe the Modi government may once again spring a surprise in selecting the next CBI chief. Still, the names most actively being discussed are Parag Jain, Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor and Yogesh Gupta.
The possibility of extension for incumbent CBI Director Praveen Sood has also not been completely ruled out. Administrative circles point out that the government had earlier extended the tenure of an incumbent when the high-powered committee could not arrive at a consensus on a successor’s name.
Praveen Sood had taken charge as CBI Director on May 24, 2023. The post carries a fixed tenure of two years as mandated by the Supreme Court.
Senior and experienced IAS officers are expected to get key administrative roles in the new BJP government being installed in West Bengal for better governance. The reason behind it is the promise that the BJP’s central leadership repeatedly made during election rallies. Keeping it in mind, the new dispensation is believed to streamline the system of transfers and postings within the state bureaucracy.
During the 15-year-long Mamata Banerjee regime, several junior IAS officers were reportedly assigned influential positions such as Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, PWD Secretary, and Panchayat Secretary, while many senior and experienced bureaucrats in the rank of Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) were given less significant departments for years.
Some retired bureaucrats allege that Mamata govt’s style of functioning demoralised a section of experienced bureaucrats and adversely affected development work, as even District Magistrate-rank officers used to be assigned departments traditionally reserved for senior officers.
According to reliable sources, during the TMC regime, several junior officers were given dual charges for prolonged periods, leading to resentment within the administrative system.
They cite the case of 1994-batch IAS officer Nandini Chakraborty being appointed as Chief Secretary by the Trinamool govt, overlooking officers who were three to four years senior to her and had greater administrative experience.
Another example cited by them is S. Suresh Kumar, a 1988-batch IAS officer and one of the senior-most bureaucrats in the state, who had served in the Union Home Ministry for more than six years as Joint Secretary, and after returning to West Bengal, he headed departments including disaster management, fire services, labour, and employment, but the Trinamool government shifted him to the state training institute. There are others too who were meted out similar treatment.
According to many bureaucrats in the state, the Mamata govt’s policy regarding the utilisation of bureaucrats appeared inconsistent, due to which several IAS officers were given multiple important portfolios across departments and government undertakings, while many senior officers remained either underutilised or were shifted to departments with limited administrative relevance.
Although West Bengal has around 300 IAS officers, several of them are reportedly functioning as Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) or remain on “compulsory waiting,” effectively without substantial responsibilities.
Former bureaucrats believe that the implementation of the BJP’s agenda for Bengal would require strong and experienced administrative leadership, as apart from efficiently implementing welfare schemes, it will have to ensure benefits reach genuine recipients. Further, the new govt would also have to focus on job creation through industrialisation and other developmental measures.
Many retired bureaucrats allege that the practice of favouring a select group of officers during the TMC regime created unrest among sections of the bureaucracy ahead of the Assembly elections.
In a key development, the Centre has appointed Chetan PS Rao (IRS-IT:2002) as Principal Economic Affairs Officer (D-I) in New York, USA, under the United Nations assignment.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (May 4, 2026), he will take up the long-term foreign assignment for a period of 364 days from the date of assumption of charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
To enable him to join the new assignment, his central deputation tenure as Member (Finance), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, has been curtailed.
Notably, Chetan PS Rao had been appointed to the DDA in September 2025 for a tenure of five years.
The central deputation tenure of Sunil Bhagwat Chaudhari (ICAS:2008) as Director in the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) has been extended by one year.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (May 6, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal to extend his deputation tenure under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of one year beyond June 6, 2026, and up to June 4, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
This is his second one-year extension. In June 2025, he was granted a one-year extension after completion of his five-year central deputation tenure in the Department of Economic Affairs.
Sunil has been serving in the department since June 2020.
Dr Mukesh Kumar Sinha, former Chairman of the Central Water Commission (CWC), has been appointed as Assessor in the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT).
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his appointment on Wednesday (May 6, 2026).
An Assessor in the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal functions as a technical expert and assists the tribunal on hydrological, engineering and water-sharing matters. The role involves providing expert inputs on river flow data, irrigation requirements, project feasibility and other technical aspects related to inter-state water disputes.
Dr Sinha had earlier served as Chairman of the Central Water Commission, the apex technical body under the Government of India dealing with water resources management.
In what can be described as a gesture of goodwill, the Karnataka government finally revoked the suspension of controversial IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao (IPS:1993:KN) on Tuesday, just a few weeks before his retirement. He has been reinstated into service with immediate effect.
Rao is set to retire on May 31.
He was serving as DGP in the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement when he was placed under suspension in January this year, following a number of objectionable videos showing him in compromising positions with multiple women in his office emerged on social media. It led to the disciplinary proceedings being initiated against him.
But it was not the first instance that punitive action was taken against the IPS officer. In 2025, he was sent on compulsory leave after his stepdaughter, Ranya Rao, was found misusing his police protocol when allegedly caught smuggling gold at Kempegowda International Airport. However, he was cleared of those charges in an inquiry.
Interestingly, Rao has been reinstated as DGP (Police Manual), a post that has been newly created. The state govt has clarified that the post is equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of DGP, Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Wednesday (May 6, 2026) approved the appointment of three senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers to key positions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
They are;
Suman Mohapatra (IFS:1995:AM) has been appointed as Deputy Director General of Forests (DDGF), Regional Office, Bhubaneswar.
Sandeep Kujur (IFS:1995:AGMUT) has been appointed as Deputy Director General of Forests (DDGF), Regional Office, Dehradun.
N C Saravanan (IFS:2002:AGMUT) has been appointed as Additional Director at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun.
IAS officer Ragul K (IAS:2012:SK), currently serving as Regional Director in the Staff Selection Commission (Southern Region), Chennai, has been re-designated at Director level. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (May 6, 2026), the competent authority has approved the proposal to upgrade and re-designate his post from Deputy Secretary level to Director level under the Central Staffing Scheme as a measure personal to him.
The upgraded designation will be effective from the date of assumption of charge of the post and remain valid till February 16, 2030, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Ragul K is a 2012-batch IAS officer of the Sikkim cadre.
Abhishek Anand (IRS-C&IT:2013), currently serving as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development, has been appointed as Chief Accounts Officer (Deputy Secretary level) in the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (May 7, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved his appointment to the post on lateral shift basis.
He will serve in the position for a period up to December 12, 2029, i.e. combined tenure of six years outside the cadre, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Abhishek Anand had been serving as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Women and Child Development since December 2023. His tenure in the department was initially for four years. With the present appointment in DDA, his deputation tenure has effectively been extended by two more years till December 2029.
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