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Anurag Gupta’s fate as J’khand DGP hangs in balance

By
LO Bureau
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The fate of Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta (IPS:1990:JH) hangs in balance due to the confrontation between the central government and the Jharkhand government over his continuance as state police chief. A fresh bout of controversy has erupted over the state government’s latest decision to extend the Gupta’s tenure, scheduled to end on April 30.

The central government has now questioned the Jharkhand government’s decision to extend the service of Anurag Gupta as DGP after his retirement. The Union Home Ministry has sent a letter to state Chief Minister Hemant Soren calling its decision to retain Anurag Gupta as DGP beyond his retirement date as wrong.

The JMM government had appointed Gupta as an Acting DGP on July 26, 2024 removing regular DGP Ajay Singh from that post. Gupta was later removed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the state Assembly elections and was replaced with Ajay Singh. But once the Hemant Soren-led government came to power after elections, Gupta was reinstated as DGP on November 28, 2024.

In order to formalize Gupta’s appointment, the state government framed a rule outlining the process for DGP appointments and notified Anurag Gupta as the permanent DGP of the state. As according to the rule, the DGP must have a fixed tenure of two years Gupta’s term has to be extended until July 26, 2026.

But the Centre is peeved at this arrangement and hence has decided to intervene. If the centre prevails Gupta’s term may come to an end on April 30, 2025. The outcome of this situation will now depend on the state government’s next move.

On the other hand, the Jharkhand BJP unit has moved the High Court challenging Gupta’s appointment. The petition alleges a blatant violation of Supreme Court guidelines issued in the famous Prakash Singh Vs the Union of India case of 2006. The petition alleges that the state government has “arbitrarily appointed Gupta, whose name was not part of any UPSC- recommended panel.”

The Supreme Court is already hearing a case on this issue and the Jharkhand High Court has fixed June 16 as date for hearing the BJP’s plea. But the larger issue emanating from this whole controversy involves the Union Home Ministry’s stance regarding the validity of the state government’s decision to extend the tenure of its top serving bureaucrat.

(BY-Dinesh Kumar)

Bihar: 10 IAS officers shifted; HR Srinivasa appointed Principal Secretary, BC & EBC Department

By
LO Bureau
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In a late-night development, the Bihar government on Monday (28.04.2025) issued transfer and posting orders for 10 IAS officers. Among the key appointments, senior bureaucrat HR Srinivasa (IAS:1996:BH) has been posted as Principal Secretary, Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes (BC & EBC) Welfare Department.

Srinivasa was awaiting a posting order in the General Administration Department (GAD) after being relieved from the charge of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar following the appointment of Vinod Kumar Gunjiyal (IAS:2007:BH) as the new CEO.

The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;

UP: Six IAS officers transferred; Sanyukta Samaddar gets additional charge of Minority Affairs & Muslim Waqf

By
LO Bureau
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UP PCS officers' promotion to IAS

In a significant development, the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday (28.04.2025) issued transfer and posting orders for six IAS officers.

Notably, Sanyukta Samaddar has been assigned additional charge of Principal Secretary, Minority Affairs & Muslim Waqf Department, in addition to her existing responsibilities.

The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;

  1. Sanyukta Samaddar (IAS:1999:UP), Principal Secretary, Political Pension & Civil Defence Deptt, has been given additional charge of Principal Secretary, Minority Affairs & Muslim Waqf Department.
  2. Divya Prakash Giri (IAS-SCS:2010), Special Secretary, Excise Department, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Namami Gange & Rural Water Supply.
  3. Devendra Kumar Singh Kushwaha (IAS:2012:UP), Special Secretary, Medical Education, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Excise Department.
  4. Rajnish Chandra (IAS-SCS:2014), Special Secretary, Social Welfare Department, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Rural Development Department.
  5. Rajendra Singh (IAS), Special Secretary, Rural Development, Department, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Social Welfare Department.
  6. Pooja Yadav (IAS), awaiting posting orders, has been posted as Secretary, Uttar Pradesh Building And Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.

NIDM ED Rajendra Ratnoo prematurely repatriated to parent cadre

By
LO Bureau
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Rajendra Ratnoo (IAS:2001:TN), currently serving as Executive Director at the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Ministry of Home Affairs, has been prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre Tamil Nadu.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (28.04.2025), the competent authority approved the Ministry of Home Affairs’ proposal to repatriate Mr. Ratnoo to Tamil Nadu cadre to enable him to avail the benefit of promotion.

Mr. Ratnoo has been serving as Executive Director at NIDM since February 2023 and was granted a two-year extension on February 13, 2024, which was to continue till February 7, 2026. Prior to his posting at NIDM, he served as Joint Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) from February 2019.

Mohit Soni appointed OSD to Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar

By
LO Bureau
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In a significant development, Mohit Soni, a private individual, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Manohar Lal Khattar, the Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs and Power. His appointment specifically pertains to the Ministry of Power.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Saturday (26.04.2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the Ministry of Power’s proposal to appoint Mr. Soni to the post on a contract basis for a period of four years from the date of assumption of charge, or on a co-terminus basis with the Minister, or until he ceases to function as OSD to the Minister, or until further orders — whichever is earlier. Mr. Soni will assume the charge at the Deputy Secretary level.

Mohit Soni is considered close to Manohar Lal Khattar. He had earlier worked with him when Manohar Lal Khattar was the Chief Minister of Haryana. In 2019, Soni was appointed as Chief Feedback Officer to Feedback in the Haryana Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). Currently too, he has been associated with the Haryana CMO.

KK Pathak is now Special Secretary in Cabinet Secretariat

By
LO Bureau
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Keshav Kumar Pathak (IAS:1990:BH) has been appointed as Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Saturday (26.04.2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved Mr. Pathak’s appointment in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India by temporarily upgrading a vacant post of Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat — a move made as a personal measure to the officer — in partial modification of the earlier DoPT order dated April 18, 2025.

Earlier, as per the April 18 order, Keshav Kumar Pathak was appointed as Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. Subsequently, on April 21, he was empanelled for holding Secretary/Secretary Equivalent posts in the Government of India. His latest posting reflects the adjustment in position according to his empanelment.

Telangana: Outgoing CS A Santhi Kumari appointed VC of Dr. MCR HRD Institute

By
LO Bureau
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The outgoing Chief Secretary of Telangana, A Santhi Kumari (IAS:1989:TG), has been appointed as the Vice-Chairperson of the Dr. Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute (Dr. MCR HRD).

Ms. Santhi Kumari, who is set to retire on April 30, 2025, upon reaching the age of superannuation, has also been placed in full additional charge (FAC) of the Chairperson’s post at the institute until further orders.

The terms and conditions of her service will be issued separately, according to an order issued by GAD Secretary M. Raghunandan Rao on Monday (April 28, 2025).

Kerala: Manoj Abraham promoted to DGP rank

By
LO Bureau
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The Kerala government on Saturday (26.04.2025) promoted senior IPS officer Manoj Abraham (IPS:1994:KL), currently serving as Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order), to the rank of Director General of Police (DGP).

Abraham’s promotion fills the vacancy arising from the retirement of IPS officer K Padmakumar (IPS:1989:KL), who is set to superannuate on April 30. Following his promotion, Abraham has been posted as Director General, Fire and Rescue Services, with effect from May 1, 2025.

To facilitate this, the government has created an ex-cadre post of Director General, Fire and Rescue Services, for a period of one year starting May 1. The post has been declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the cadre post of Director, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Bihar: Vinod Kumar Gunjiyal appointed Chief Electoral Officer

By
LO Bureau
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Bihar IAS using charter plane

In a significant development, the Election Commission of India has appointed IAS officer Vinod Kumar Gunjiyal (IAS:2007:BH) as the new Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar. He succeeds HR Srinivasa (IAS:1996:BH) and will lead the state’s election machinery for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for October-November 2025.

The Bihar government had submitted a panel of three IAS officers, from which the Election Commission selected Gunjiyal for the crucial role.

Incumbent CEO HR Srinivasa has been serving since May 2018, when he succeeded Ajay V Nayak (IAS:1984:BH) after his retirement.

Gunjiyal, a Mechanical Engineering graduate, brings extensive administrative experience to his new role. Throughout his career, he has held several key positions within the Bihar government, demonstrating versatility and commitment to public service. Notably, he served as Secretary of the Prohibition, Excise & Registration Department, where he played a key role in strengthening regulatory frameworks and enhancing departmental efficiency.

He has also made significant contributions to the state’s livestock and fisheries sectors, having served as Director of both the Animal Husbandry Department and the Fisheries Directorate.

K’taka HC clears decks for IPS officer Roopa Moudgil’s promotion

By
LO Bureau
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The Karnataka High Court has, in a way, cleared the decks for the promotion of senior IPS officer D Roopa Moudgil (IPS:2002:KN) by asking her to submit a new application for promotion to the position of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). Not only this, the court has also asked the state government to review her application within two months in compliance with the law.

Roopa is virtually facing a criminal defamation case filed against her by IAS officer, Rohini Sindhuri. Sindhuri wanted to scuttle Roopa’s promotion on the basis that she was a subject of criminal defamation in which the investigation is still on, but the bench emphasized that the promotion process is confidential under DoPT regulations.

A single member bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna termed the defamation case against Roopa as a private matter while hearing Roopa’s plea for the state government’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to evaluate her promotion objectively, free from external influence.

The bench did not allow the IAS officer to file an interim application in this case and advised Roopa to submit a fresh application to the DoPT for evaluation.

Even the Advocate General and the Law Department of the state government made it clear that the disputes between the two woman bureaucrats were personal matters and did not affect service terms.

The bench finally ruled that promotion concerned the DoPT and Roopa exclusively, and Rohini had no business to interfere in it and thus dismissed Rohini’s petition.

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