The Union government on Wednesday (August 13, 2025) notified the appointment of three Advocates as Additional Judges of the Bombay High Court for a period of two years. The decision follows the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation made on July 28, 2025.
They are;
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The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday underscored the need for strict compliance with pre-appointment procedures to ensure independence and transparency in the selection of the next Director General of Police (DGP) of Tamil Nadu.
A Division Bench comprising Justice S.M. Subramaniam and Justice G. Arul Murugan noted that the process for appointing a DGP is firmly guided by Supreme Court directives, subsequent UPSC guidelines, and the single-window empanelment system. The court stressed that empanelment of eligible IPS officers must be carried out in strict alignment with these established norms.
The Bench also acknowledged that a similar petition had been filed before the Principal Seat in Chennai, where a Coordinate Bench dismissed it as premature, as the appointment had not yet been made. Concurring with that view, the Madurai Bench reiterated that all pre-appointment protocols must be followed without deviation.
Additional Advocate General M. Ajmal Khan, representing the State, informed the court that the selection process was already in progress. In light of this, the Bench declined further interference and disposed of the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by K. Yasar Arafath of Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram district.
The petitioner had sought directions to the Central and State governments to initiate the empanelment of eligible IPS officers in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Prakash Singh vs. Union of India. The move comes as the incumbent DGP, Shankar Jiwal, prepares to retire on August 31, 2025.
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IAS officer Akanksha Ranjan (IAS:2013:JH) has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Delhi, for a period of four years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (August 14, 2025), Ms Ranjan has been appointed to the post under the central staffing scheme for a period of four years from the date of taking over the charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Aditya Kumar Mamgain (IRS-C&IT:2015), recommended for central deputation by the Department of Revenue, has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Delhi.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (August 14, 2025), Mr. Mamgain’s posting is under the central staffing scheme and will take effect from the date he assumes charge. His tenure will continue up to May 2, 2027—a combined four-year stint at the Deputy Secretary level, including both ex-cadre and central staffing scheme deputations—or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has selected Vikas for appointment as Managing Director, Bharat Petro Resources Limited (BPRL), in a meeting held on August 14, 2025. He is currently serving as Chief General Manager, Head BD/ Policy/Regulator/Commercial PJVA & BD, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC).
Following the selection, the PESB has recommended his name to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for final approval. His appointment will be subject to the receipt of necessary vigilance clearances and the ACC’s nod.
A total of 8 candidates were interviewed for the post, including:
As the tenure of Rajasthan State Election Commissioner (SEC) Madhukar Gupta (Retd.IAS:1985:RJ) ends on September 17, 2025, intense lobbying has begun for the coveted post. With panchayat and municipal elections expected in December 2025, the state government cannot delay the appointment.
Four IAS officers—three retired and one serving—are emerging as frontrunners: Rajeshwar Singh (Retd. IAS:1989:RJ), PK Goyal (Retd. IAS:1988:RJ), Shubhra Singh (IAS:1989:RJ), and Anand Kumar (IAS:1994:RJ).
The SEC wields sweeping authority during local body polls, with district collectors and even booth-level officers operating under their command. Given the post’s political sensitivity, caste equations, political alliances, and administrative track records will be critical in CM Bhajanlal Sharma’s decision—especially as the BJP’s performance in these polls will serve as a political litmus test.
The Four Contenders:
1. Rajeshwar Singh: Former Additional Chief Secretary, Rural and Panchayati Raj Department. A Rajput officer with strong administrative credentials, he played a key role in departmental reforms under the previous Congress government. However, his perceived proximity to Sachin Pilot could be a hurdle, though his community background may appeal to BJP’s electoral strategy.
2. PK Goyal: Veteran of the Autonomous Governance Department and the only Vaishya community candidate in the fray—a demographic traditionally aligned with the BJP. With a clean record and non-partisan image, Goyal has worked seamlessly under both Congress and BJP regimes.
3. Shubhra Singh: Chairperson, Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation, and the only female contender. Once considered for the Chief Secretary post, she brings rich administrative experience from both Delhi and Rajasthan. Her appointment could address the lack of women in Rajasthan’s top bureaucracy since Usha Sharma’s retirement and bolster BJP’s appeal among women voters.
4. Anand Kumar: A Dalit officer currently serving as Additional Chief Secretary, Forest and Environment. Former ACS (Home) for over two years, Kumar enjoys CM Bhajanlal Sharma’s confidence. His appointment could strengthen BJP’s Dalit outreach ahead of the polls.
As the corridors of power from Jaipur to Delhi buzz with speculation, the appointment will reflect not just administrative priorities but the BJP’s broader electoral strategy for the 2025 panchayat and civic elections.
IAS officer Pooja Awana (IPS:2012:RJ) has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Investment & Public Asset Management (DIPAM), Delhi, for a tenure of four years. The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier recommended her for central deputation.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (August 14, 2025), Ms. Awana’s appointment comes under the central staffing scheme and will be effective from the date she assumes charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
In a fresh flashpoint between the Centre and the Jharkhand government, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has refused to recognise Anurag Gupta (IPS:1990:JH) as the state’s Director General of Police (DGP), leading to the postponement of a crucial IPS promotion meeting scheduled for Tuesday (August 12, 2025).
The meeting, meant to promote 17 senior Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) to the Indian Police Service (IPS) against nine vacant posts, was to be attended by Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari (IAS:1998:JH), Home Secretary Vandana Dadel (IAS:1996:JH), and DGP Anurag Gupta. However, UPSC, in a letter to the state government a day before the meeting, objected to Gupta’s inclusion, citing its non-recognition of his appointment.
Despite the objection, state officials attended and argued that Gupta’s appointment complied with Jharkhand’s DGP appointment rules. UPSC remained unconvinced, and the meeting was called off without a new date being fixed.
The list of officers awaiting promotion includes Shivendra, Radha Prem Kishore, Mukesh Kumar Mahato, Deepak Kumar-1, Mazrool Hoda, Rajesh Kumar, Avinash Kumar, Roshan Gudiya, Shriram Samad, Nisha Murmu, Surjeet Kumar, Virendra Kumar Chaudhary, Rahul Dev Badaik, Christopher Kerketta, Prabhat Ranjan Barwar, Anoop Kumar Badaik, and Sameer Kumar Tirkey.
The standoff stems from the Centre’s stance that Gupta retired on April 30, 2025, and that his continued tenure is unconstitutional. While the Centre has termed Jharkhand’s DGP appointment rules as contrary to national norms, the state government maintains that Gupta’s service extension is valid.
This deadlock has left the fate of the pending IPS promotions hanging in balance, with no resolution in sight.
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The Odisha government intends to implement an AI-based attendance tracking system in each of its offices in an effort to keep an eye on staff members’ punctuality. Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja chaired a meeting of all secretaries in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday (August 12) to discuss the matter. Such a system would be implemented in Bhubaneswar’ Lok Seva Bhawan and Kharavela Bhavan during the first phase. In later stages, the technology will be implemented in additional offices. AI-powered cameras will be installed at the office entrance for monitoring the employees’ arrival and departure timings.
The new system will be implemented by the department of Electronics and Information Technology. The installation of the Chief Minister’s dashboard on October 1 to track the execution of various programs is one of the other options that were addressed in the meeting. Additionally, the dashboard will monitor service delivery across many departments. It has been agreed that by the seventh of each month, the collectors will assess the status of land acquisition and other requirements for infrastructure projects. Review meetings will take place by the 12th of each month after this.
The meeting’s discussions have also highlighted the need to increase openness and vigilance while identifying possible areas for corruption, including public service delivery, government procurement, human resource management, and enforcement issues.
On the final Saturday of each month, the Chief Secretary will examine the progress. In addition, officials will be constantly monitored and subject to voluntary retirement (VRS) if they do not fulfil performance criteria. The Chief Secretary also underlined the significance of increasing investment for speedier project implementation, prioritising field visits and imposing stringent compliance requirements.
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The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday (August 13, 2025) approved the promotion of 20 Uttar Pradesh Provincial Police Service (PPS) officers to the prestigious Indian Police Service (IPS) cadre. The promotions follow the formal clearance of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) held earlier this year.
The officers promoted to the IPS rank are:
The elevation marks a significant milestone in their policing careers and strengthens the leadership pool of the Uttar Pradesh cadre in the IPS.
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