In a significant move, the Union government on Monday (September 1, 2025) formally appointed Advocate Arun Kumar as a judge of the Allahabad High Court, nearly two years after the Supreme Court Collegium first recommended his elevation on May 9, 2023.
The long delay in confirming his appointment triggered concerns over stagnating judicial staffing. The Collegium initially deferred action due to inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) but proceeded once a later report stated there were no new findings. The appointment was formally notified by the Ministry of Law & Justice and published in the Gazette on September 1, 2025.
Advocate Arun Kumar’s elevation marks a step toward addressing vacancies at the Allahabad High Court, which has been operating below strength. His induction may streamline court functioning and relieve backlog pressures.
Senior IAS officer Pratyaya Amrit (IAS:1991:BH) on Monday (September 1, 2025) officially took charge as the new Chief Secretary of Bihar, succeeding Amrit Lal Meena (IAS:1989:BH), who retired on August 31. His appointment order had been issued earlier on August 4, 2025.
Widely Regarded as a Turnaround Specialist
Amrit is widely acknowledged as one of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s key executors of governance reforms. Known for his ability to deliver results in challenging environments, he played a pivotal role in Bihar’s transformation story. As Secretary, Road Construction, and later as Energy Secretary, Amrit spearheaded landmark projects including the Ganga Path and the AIIMS–Digha flyover, in addition to ensuring last-mile village electrification ahead of the 2015 Assembly elections.
Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence
In 2011, Amrit became the only IAS officer to win the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in the individual category. The recognition came for his turnaround of the Bihar State Bridge Construction Corporation (BSBCC), which he revived from a loss-making unit into a profitable enterprise—considered a defining example of Bihar’s administrative turnaround.
Crisis Management and Coordination Roles
Beyond infrastructure, Amrit has often been the government’s “go-to” officer for complex assignments. In July 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was given additional charge as Principal Secretary, Health, while also holding the Energy portfolio—a move reflecting the state government’s confidence in his crisis management and coordination abilities.
Career and Experience
A 1991-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, Amrit has served in diverse assignments across both the state and at the Centre. His early years saw district postings in Jharkhand (prior to state bifurcation), followed by leadership roles in Bihar’s infrastructure departments. He also completed a five-year central deputation in New Delhi, before returning to Patna in 2006 at the request of the Chief Minister to accelerate Bihar’s rebuilding agenda.
Educational Background
Pratyaya completed his graduation from Hindu College, University of Delhi. He did his post graduation in Ancient History and was topper in Delhi University. Amrit was offered a lecturer’s job in Sri Venkateswara College, New Delhi. He is frequently invited as a speaker on public administration, governance, and project execution, reflecting his reputation as both a practitioner and thought leader in state-building.
Why This Matters
With Pratyaya Amrit at the helm, Bihar signals continuity in its infrastructure and service-delivery agenda. His elevation as Chief Secretary comes at a pivotal juncture, placing an experienced hand at the wheel as the state heads into assembly elections.
The Bihar government on Saturday (August 30, 2025) announced a major bureaucratic reshuffle at the top level. Dr. S Siddharth (IAS:1991:BH), currently Principal Secretary to CM with multiple additional charges, has been appointed as the new Development Commissioner of Bihar, considered the second most important post after Chief Secretary. This comes as incumbent Pratyay Amrit (IAS:1990:BH) prepares to take charge as the new Chief Secretary of the state on September 1.
The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;
Dr. S Siddharth (IAS:1991:BH), Principal Secretary to CM with additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat & Additional Chief Secretary, Education Department, has been transferred and posted as Development Commissioner.
Harjot Kaur Bamhrah (IAS:1992:BH), Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forest & Climate Change with additional charge of Chairman-cum-Member, Revenue Board, Patna, has been transferred and posted as Chairman-cum-Member, Revenue Board, Patna.
Arvind Kumar Chaudhary (IAS:1995:BH), Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department with additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary, Vigilance Department, Examination Controller, Bihar State Joint Entrance Examination Board and Enquiry Commissioner, GAD.
Dr. B Rajender (IAS:1995:BH), Additional Chief Secretary, GAD with additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary, Public Grievance, GAD; ACS, Sports; Mission Director, Bihar Administrative Reform Mission Society and DG, BIPARD, has been transferred and posted as Additional Chief Secretary, Education Department.
In a key development, senior IPS officer G Venkataraman (IPS:1994:TN), currently serving as Director General of Police (Administration), has been given additional charge as Acting Director General of Police and Head of Police Force, Tamil Nadu. The appointment order was issued on Sunday, coinciding with the retirement of Shankar Jiwal (IPS:1990:TN) on August 31, 2025. Notably, Jiwal was given an official farewell on his last working day, August 29.
Earlier, on August 28, Jiwal was appointed as the Chairman of the newly constituted Fire Commission, a position he will formally assume on Monday, September 1, 2025.
In another major appointment, Vinit Dev Wankhede (IPS:1994:TN), DGP (Headquarters), has been posted as Chairman and Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation Ltd. He succeeds Shailesh Kumar Yadav (IPS:1993:TN), whose official retirement also came into effect on August 31, 2025.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday (August 31, 2025) issued transfer and posting orders of eight IPS officers, bringing significant changes to the police leadership in several districts. The reshuffle includes new Superintendents of Police (SPs) for Kanpur Rural, Shravasti, and Shamli.
The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;
Ram Sevak Gautam (IPS-SPS:2013), SP, Shamli, has been posted as SP, PTS, Moradabad.
Arvind Mishra (IPS-SPS:2015), SP, Kanpur Rural, has been posted as SP, EOW, Lucknow.
Ghanshyam (IPS-SPS:2015), SP, Shravasti, has been posted as SP, Vigilance, Lucknow.
Narendra Pandey (IPS:2017:UP), Commandant, 38th Battalion PAC, Lucknow, has been posted as SP, Kanpur Rural.
Rahul Bhati (IPS:2018:UP), SP, SSF, Lucknow, has been posted as as SP, Shravasti.
Lakhan Singh Yadav (IPS:2018:UP), DCP, Gautam Buddh Nagar, has been posted as Commandant, 38th Battalion PAC.
Narendra Pratap Singh (IPS-SPS), SP/Additional SP, Baghpat, has been transferred as SP, Shamli.
Dr. Praveen Ranjan Singh (IPS-SPS), DCP/Additional DCP, Gautam Buddh Nagar, has been transferred as DCP, Police Commissionerate, Gautam Buddh Nagar.
In a significant administrative reshuffle, the Kerala government on Saturday (August 30, 2025) issued transfer and posting orders for three senior IAS officers, effecting changes across agriculture, transport, and water governance.
According to the official notification, B Ashok (IAS:1998:KL) has been relieved from the post of Agriculture Production Commissioner and Principal Secretary of Agriculture. He has now been appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC).
Tinku Biswal (IAS:1997:KL) has been posted as the new Agriculture Production Commissioner. In addition, she will hold full additional charges of Principal Secretary, Agriculture, and Principal Secretary, Transport, consolidating key portfolios under her leadership.
Meanwhile, PB Nooh (IAS:2012:KL), currently serving as Special Secretary, Transport, has been given the additional charge of Managing Director, Kerala Water Authority.
The Centre has extended the tenure of Maharashtra Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar Meena (IAS:1988:MH) by three months. Meena, who was due to retire on August 31, 2025, will now remain in office until November 30, 2025, following an order issued on August 29.
According to officials, the extension has been granted primarily to ensure continuity in two critical areas — the upcoming local body elections scheduled through October and November, and the implementation of the state government’s ambitious 150-day programme aimed at grassroots-level administrative and procedural reforms.
Meena took charge as Chief Secretary on July 1, 2025, succeeding Sujata Saunik (IAS:1987:MH) upon her retirement. His short yet impactful tenure has focused on streamlining governance and pushing reform-oriented initiatives. The latest extension allows him to oversee crucial electoral and administrative transitions before demitting office in November.
In a key bureaucratic development, the Madhya Pradesh government has elevated two senior IAS officers of the 1994 batch, Deepali Rastogi and Shiv Shekhar Shukla, to the rank of Additional Chief Secretary (ACS). The promotions, notified by the General Administration Department on Saturday (August 30, 2025), will take effect from September 1, 2025.
Both officers, who were serving as Principal Secretaries, have now been placed in the Chief Secretary’s pay scale.
Deepali Rastogi, currently heading the Panchayat and Rural Development Department, has been promoted as ACS of the same department. Similarly, Shiv Shekhar Shukla, who was serving as Principal Secretary, Culture and Tourism Department, has been appointed as ACS of the same department.
The promotions come in the backdrop of the retirement of JN Kansotiya (IAS:1989:MP), former ACS, Home Department, on August 29. His superannuation created space for promotions at the ACS level. While it was widely anticipated that Deepali Rastogi would be elevated, the state government’s decision to simultaneously promote Shiv Shekhar Shukla came as an unexpected move, given that his advancement was earlier believed to have been delayed due to lack of vacancies.
Despite the promotions, both officers will continue to oversee their existing departments without any change in assignments.
In a major development, the Karnataka government on Saturday (August 30, 2025) appointed Dr M A Saleem (IPS:1993:KN) as the full-time Director Generaland Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP), the head of the state police force.
Dr Saleem had been serving as the interim police chief since May 21, 2025, following the retirement of his predecessor Alok Mohan (IPS:1987:KN). Alongside this role, he also held the concurrent charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
A 1993-batch IPS officer, Dr Saleem is currently the third most senior DGP in Karnataka after Praveen Sood (IPS:1986:KN), who heads the CBI, and Prashant Kumar Thakur (IPS:1992:KN), serving in the state cadre.
The appointment comes just days after the Karnataka High Court disposed of a PIL questioning the delay in the selection of a regular police chief. The petition had urged compliance with the Supreme Court’s 1996 Prakash Singh directives mandating transparent and timely appointments of DGPs.
During the hearing, a division bench led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakru and Justice C M Joshi recorded the assurance of Advocate General K Shashikiran Shetty that the state would finalise the appointment soon after receiving the UPSC empanelment list.
With the government’s notification now in place, Dr Saleem’s elevation as Karnataka’s top cop ends months of uncertainty over the leadership of the state police and paves the way for continuity in law enforcement.
In a key administrative move, the Telangana government on Saturday (August 30, 2025) entrusted senior IAS officer Sabyasachi Ghosh (IAS:1994:TG) with additional responsibilities.
Currently serving as Special Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development & Fisheries Department (AH, DD & F), Mr. Ghosh has been given full additional charge of Special Chief Secretary, Welfare, and Special Chief Secretary, Tribal Welfare.
This order relieves Varsini VS (IAS:2012:TG) from her earlier role of holding additional charge of Tribal Welfare.
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