New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday (October 6, 2026) approved the appointment of Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM, as the next Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force.
According to an official communication, President Droupadi Murmu has approved Dixit’s appointment as the Chief of the Air Staff in the substantive rank of Air Chief Marshal, with effect from the afternoon of October 31, 2026. He will hold the post until December 31, 2028.
Dixit, currently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, will succeed Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who is due to superannuate on October 31, 2026. Dixit assumed charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on July 1, 2026.
Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. He is an Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor and has more than 3,500 hours of flying experience on a variety of aircraft.
During his nearly four-decade career, Dixit has held several key operational and staff appointments, including Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command and Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee. He served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff from May 2025 until June 2026, before taking over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff.
He has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service.
Controversial Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer Rinkoo Singh Rahee (IAS:2023:UP), currently posted as Joint Magistrate in Jalaun, has once again expressed the apprehension of a fatal attack on his life through a letter to the Governor. Rahee’s apprehension, as mentioned in the letter, is that an incident like the murderous attack in Muzaffarnagar in 2009 may happen to him again, due to lack of adequate security. According to him, the threat perception has limited his movement and changed his lifestyle.
The IAS officer has also alleged that his complaint was not taken by Orai Kotwali police station in this regard.
In response, the Governor’s Secretariat has directed the Chief Secretary and the DGP to provide proper security to Rinkoo Singh and conduct an inquiry into the matter.
The reverberations of the Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Tukaram Mundhe (IAS:2005:MH)’s action have now reached a global audience, with the leading American newspaper, the New York Times, carrying a report on his aggressive food safety crackdown across the state. In the report, the NYT has examined how Mundhe’s surprise raids turned him into an unlikely viral celebrity, particularly among restaurant owners and social media users.
The NYT’s October 2026 report is titled “In India, a Food Inspector Sparks Fear in Mumbai Restaurants.”
His aggressive crackdown against food safety violations in Mumbai has so far seen over 12,000 surprise inspections since May 2026.
The NYT report says Mundhe’s campaign has brought unusually high visibility to routine food safety enforcement. Since taking charge of the Maharashtra FDA in May 2026, his team has carried out more than 12,000 inspections, issued thousands of notices and suspended hundreds of establishment licences over serious hygiene and safety violations.
The report describes it as the “Tukaram Mundhe Effect”, where highly visible inspections, strict regulatory action and social media attention have turned a conventional bureaucratic exercise into a widely discussed public issue.
Mundhe’s teams have been conducting surprise inspections at restaurants, dairies and quick-commerce warehouses and seizing adulterated food products during inspections. These actions have continued ever since Mundhe took charge as the FDA Commissioner in May 2026.
Known for his strong administrative actions, Mundhe has previously handled several high-profile assignments across the state, but it was during his tenure as Solapur district collector when he received recognition for work related to drought mitigation. He has also received the Best Collector Award and the National Award for Social Justice and Empowerment.
New Delhi: The Centre on Monday (October 5, 2026), notified the appointment of three Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court.
The three judges elevated to the apex court are Justice Sunita Agarwal, Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court; Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court; and Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court.
With the appointment of the three judges, the working strength of the Supreme Court, currently at 34, will rise to 37 once they formally take oath of office.
The Supreme Court has a sanctioned strength of 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. Following the latest appointments, the apex court will therefore have one vacancy against its sanctioned strength.
Senior IPS officer Preeta Verma (IPS:1991:BH) will remain in charge of Bihar DGP, as the Bihar government has issued orders extending her additional charge of the DGP.
Preeta Verma, currently posted as DG of Home Defence Corps and Fire Services, was first given the additional charge of the DGP on September 15, the day the then DGP and her batchmate, Vinay Kumar, proceeded on leave. Kumar later took VRS and has subsequently been appointed as Chief Information Commissioner of the state.
According to the order issued by the Home Department on October 5, Verma will continue to hold the additional charge of Bihar DGP until further orders. In this way, she is going to hold the responsibility of the top post for some time now.
The extension of Preeta Verma’s DGP charge contains a hidden message that the Bihar govt is yet to decide on the appointment of a regular DGP at this moment and wants to buy time.
A seasoned bureaucrat, Preeta Verma has been holding important responsibilities in Bihar Police for a long time. And needless to mention that in addition to the DGP charge, she has another important responsibility as the DG of the Home Defence Corps and Fire Services.
With this latest govt’s move, the focus has again shifted on the appointment of the permanent DGP in the state. At present, Preeta Verma has been ordered to continue with the additional charge, and it seems she will continue to lead the Bihar Police until the government appoints a permanent DGP.
Sanjay L. Yadav IAS: Sanjay L. Yadav is a 2009-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre. He was inducted into the Indian Administrative Service through the State Civil Service (SCS) route. During his career, he has served as Joint Commissioner, Chief Executive Officer of a Zilla Parishad, District Collector, Joint Managing Director of MSRDC and Collector of Mumbai City.
On 5 October 2026, the Maharashtra government transferred Sanjay L. Yadav from State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Mumbai and appointed him Secretary, Tourism Department, Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya, Mumbai.
State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Mumbai
Previous Major Posting
Collector, Mumbai City
Education
B.A. Political Science, E.M.P.A.
Sanjay L. Yadav DoB & Education
Sanjay L. Yadav was born on 9 January 1970. He belongs to the 2009 allotment of the Maharashtra cadre and entered the IAS through the State Civil Service route. Sanjay L. Yadav holds a B.A. in Political Science and an E.M.P.A. qualification.
Sanjay L. Yadav has served in several senior administrative positions in Maharashtra. He served as Joint Managing Director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Mumbai before being appointed Collector of Mumbai City in January 2024.
Sanjay L. Yadav took charge as Collector of Mumbai City in early 2024. In February 2025, the Maharashtra government transferred him from Mumbai City Collector and appointed him State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Mumbai.
In February 2025, Sanjay L. Yadav was appointed State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Mumbai. On 5 October 2026, the Maharashtra government issued a fresh IAS transfer order involving three officers.
Sanjay L. Yadav was transferred from his position as State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Mumbai and appointed Secretary, Tourism Department, Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya, Mumbai.
Sanjay L. Yadav IAS Posting Timeline
Period
Post / Position
Department / Organisation
August 2016 – May 2018
Joint Commissioner
Mumbai
June 2018 – April 2020
Chief Executive Officer
Zilla Parishad, Nagpur
April 2020 – July 2021
Collector
Dhule
July 2021 – February 2024
Joint Managing Director
Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Mumbai
IAS Priya Rani Biography: IAS Priya Rani is a 2024-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Bihar cadre who came into the spotlight after securing All India Rank 69 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023. An engineering graduate who moved from the corporate world to civil services.
Priya Rani is currently serving as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Sasaram in Rohtas district, Bihar. Before taking charge in Sasaram, she served as Assistant Collector-cum-Assistant Magistrate in East Champaran, Motihari.
Assistant Collector-cum-Assistant Magistrate, East Champaran, Motihari
Current Posting
SDM, Sasaram
Current District
Rohtas, Bihar
IAS Priya Rani DoB, Cadre and Education
IAS Priya Rani was born on 1 August 1994. She entered the Indian Administrative Service on 26 August 2024 after her selection through the Civil Services Examination.
She is a direct-recruit IAS officer of the 2024 batch. Her official service records list Jharkhand as her home state, while she was allotted the Bihar Cadre.
Priya Rani Education
Priya Rani has an engineering background. She holds a B.Tech degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. she studied engineering at BIT Mesra, Ranchi, and later worked in the private sector in Bengaluru. She eventually left the corporate job and turned her attention towards UPSC preparation.
IAS Priya Rani Career Journey
Year/Period
Career Milestone
After B.Tech
Started her professional career in the private/corporate sector
2019
Reportedly left her corporate job and focused on UPSC preparation
Posted as Assistant Collector-cum-Assistant Magistrate, East Champaran, Motihari
2026
Moved to Sasaram in an SDM-level field assignment
Current Posting
Serving as SDM, Sasaram, Rohtas
From Engineering to Civil Services
Priya Rani’s career did not begin in government service. After studying Electrical and Electronics Engineering, she entered the corporate sector and worked in Bengaluru.
However, a corporate career was not the final destination she had in mind. She eventually left her job and turned towards UPSC preparation, beginning a journey that would require more than one attempt before taking her to the Indian Administrative Service.
The move was significant. She was switching from a settled professional career to one of the country’s toughest competitive examinations, where success was far from guaranteed.
AIR 284: The First Major Breakthrough
Priya Rani’s first major breakthrough came in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021, where she secured All India Rank 284. The result opened the doors to the civil services, and she was subsequently associated with the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES).
For many candidates, clearing UPSC and entering a Group A service would mark the end of the preparation journey. Priya Rani, however, continued to aim for the IAS and appeared in the examination again. That decision produced a much bigger result.
UPSC CSE 2023: Priya Rani Secures AIR 69
Priya Rani made a major jump in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023, securing All India Rank 69. She scored 807 marks in the written examination and 193 marks in the Personality Test, taking her final score to 1000 marks.
She subsequently joined the 2024 IAS batch and was allotted the Bihar cadre. Her official date of entry into the IAS is 26 August 2024.
Priya Rani Begins IAS Career in Bihar
After entering the IAS, Priya Rani moved from UPSC preparation and training to field administration. One of the first clearly recorded field assignments in her IAS career was in East Champaran district. She was posted as Assistant Collector-cum-Assistant Magistrate, East Champaran, Motihari, with the posting recorded from 28 April 2025.
Priya Rani later moved to Sasaram in Rohtas district, where she was given the responsibility of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
New Delhi: The Delhi Government on Monday (October 5, 2026) assigned the current duty charge of routine duties of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Addl DCP) to 12 Selection Grade DANIPS officers posted in Delhi Police. The order does not amount to their promotion or regular appointment as Addl DCPs.
The officers who have been assigned the current duty charge are Dr Vikas Sheokand (DANIPS:2014), A Venkatesh (DANIPS:2014), Gursewak Singh (DANIPS:2015), Renu Lata (DANIPS:2017), Vidushi Kaushik (DANIPS:2018), Manu Himanshu (DANIPS:2018), Sakaria Mihir Pravinbhai (DANIPS:2018), Garima Tiwari (DANIPS:2018), Vivek Bhagat (DANIPS:2018), Ashish Kumar (DANIPS:2018), Manish Ladla (DANIPS:2018) and Rohit Gupta (DANIPS:2018).
Vikas Sheokand, A Venkatesh and Gursewak Singh are currently under posting. Renu Lata is serving as ACP/SPUWAC, while Vidushi Kaushik is posted as SDPO, Sadar Bazar, North District; Manu Himanshu as ACP, DE Cell; Sakaria Mihir Pravinbhai as SDPO, Lajpat Nagar, South-East District; Garima Tiwari as SDPO, Tilak Nagar, West District; and Vivek Bhagat as SDPO, Connaught Place, New Delhi District. Ashish Kumar is serving as ACP, Special Cell; Manish Ladla as ACP, Crime; and Rohit Gupta as ACP, Security.
Temporary Arrangement, Not Promotion
The order specifically states that the Assistant Commissioner of Police holding the current duty charge of routine duties of an Addl DCP will not be authorised to perform the statutory duties of the post.
The arrangement is temporary and will cease once the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) fills the Addl DCP posts on a regular basis.
The officers will also not receive any additional pay or allowances attached to the Addl DCP post. The assignment of current duty charge will not confer any seniority in the Addl DCP post and will not affect their inter-se seniority or regular promotion prospects.
The order further states that the temporary arrangement can be discontinued at any time without assigning any reason.
Thus, the latest order is essentially a stop-gap administrative arrangement to enable the routine functioning of Addl DCP-level posts, rather than a promotion or regular posting of the 12 DANIPS officers as Addl DCPs.
New Delhi: Senior bureaucrat Alok Pande (IPoS:1994), currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), Ministry of Finance, has been prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre to avail the benefit of promotion.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (October 5, 2026), the competent authority has approved Pande’s premature repatriation to his parent cadre for the purpose of availing promotion.
Notably, Pande was promoted from the Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) to the Higher Administrative Grade Plus (HAG+) on September 22, 2026, and appointed as Member (Financial Services), Postal Services Board. His appointment is effective from October 1, 2026, or the date of assumption of charge, whichever is later.
Following his promotion and appointment, Pande is being repatriated to his parent cadre to avail the benefit of promotion. His repatriation comes after he has served on central deputation for almost seven years.
Pande has been serving in DIPAM since November 2019, when he joined the department as Joint Secretary. He was subsequently granted in-situ upgradation to the level of Additional Secretary in January 2024.
At the time of his in-situ upgradation, Pande was also granted a two-year extension in DIPAM beyond his initial five-year tenure. His extended tenure was scheduled to continue until November 2026.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Saturday (October 3, 2026) transferred five IAS officers and assigned new responsibilities to them with immediate effect.
Amlan Aditya Biswas (IAS:1997:KN), Regional Commissioner, Bengaluru Division, has been transferred and posted as Principal Secretary, Labour Department.
Pankaj Kumar Pandey (IAS:2000:KN), Principal Secretary, DPAR (e-Governance), has been transferred and posted as Principal Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. He will also hold the concurrent charge of Principal Secretary, DPAR (e-Governance).
Salma K Fahim (IAS:2006:KN), Secretary, Labour Department, has been transferred and posted as Secretary, Minority Welfare Department.
Captain Dr Rajendra K (IAS:2010:KN), who was awaiting posting, has been posted as Regional Commissioner, Bengaluru Division.
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