The Punjab Government Monday (17.02.2025) relieved Varinder Kumar (IPS:1993:PB) as the Chief Director of the state Vigilance Bureau, and attached him to the office of the Director General of Police. In his place, G Nageswara Rao (IPS:1995:PB), Additional Director General of Police, Provisioning, has been posted as the new Chief Director of the Vigilance Bureau.
Kumar had been appointed as the Chief Director of Vigilance in May 2022 soon after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in the state. His tenure in the post lasted nearly three years, and he is set to retire on July 31, 2025.
A three-member selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on Monday to pick the successor to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar (IAS:1984:JH), who is set to retire on February 18 upon reaching the age of 65. The committee includes the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and a Union Minister nominated by the Prime Minister. Sources indicate that Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is also expected to be part of the meeting.
The Odisha government has introduced a new rule requiring all IAS officers in the state to obtain prior permission from the Chief Secretary before availing leave or leaving their designated headquarters. This directive, issued through a circular by the General Administration (GA) Department, aims to ensure uninterrupted administrative functioning. The circular emphasized that instances of officers taking leave or exiting their headquarters without authorization have led to disruptions in official work, necessitating stricter oversight.
The GA Department serves as the administrative authority for IAS officers in the state, while the Chief Secretary is the competent authority for sanctioning all types of leave. Although no official reason has been cited for the new directive, sources suggest it follows Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram’s complaint against his private secretary, Parag Harshad Gavali (IAS: 2013: OR), for unauthorized absence. A day after Oram’s letter to Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, the circular was reportedly issued.
Additionally, Minister Oram has urged the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to take disciplinary action against Gavali under the All-India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules. He has also written to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), requesting Gavali’s replacement as his private secretary.
The Modi government has taken a firm stance on empanelling IAS officers as Joint Secretaries only if they meet the central deputation norms. As a result, only 16 officers from the 2009 batch, out of a total of 119, have been empanelled in the initial list. This marks the lowest number for any batch in the initial list. The government has strictly enforced the norm of a minimum of two years of service as a Deputy Secretary or Director in the central government for IAS officers to qualify for JS empanelment.
Though this rule was introduced for the 2007 batch onwards, sources indicate that officers from the 2007 and 2008 batches were given some relaxations. A comparison with previous batches shows that 49 out of 89 officers from the 2005 batch, 55 out of 87 from the 2006 batch, 31 out of 89 from the 2007 batch, and 64 out of 111 from the 2008 batch were empanelled in the initial list.
The sharp drop in numbers for the 2009 batch highlights the government’s strict enforcement of the central deputation requirement. This has significantly reduced the pool of eligible officers, signaling a clear shift in policy to ensure that IAS officers seeking empanelment at the Joint Secretary level have prior experience in central government roles.
The Haryana government on Thursday (13.02.2025) issued transfer and posting orders for 6 IAS and 36 HCS officers across the state.
The name of the IAS officers and their postings are as follows;
A Sreenivas (IAS:2004:HY), Commissioner, Hisar Division, Hisar and MD, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited, has been transferred and posted as Secretary, Energy Department; Commissioner, Hisar Division, Hisar and MD, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited.
Vinay Pratap Singh (IAS:2011:HY), Director, Human Resources; Administrator, Trade Fair Authority of Haryana, New Delhi and Excise & Taxation Commissioner and Special Secretary, Excise & Taxation Department, has been given charge of the one more post Special Secretary, Human Resources Department.
Sachin Gupta (IAS:2018:HY), Additional MD, Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited; District Municipal Commissioner, Ambala and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ambala, has been relieved of the charge of Additional MD, Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.
Saloni Sharma (IAS:2019:HY), Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Citizen Resources Information Officer, Bhiwani and District Municipal Commissioner, Bhiwani, has been transferred and posted Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Citizen Resources Information Officer, Jhajjar and District Municipal Commissioner, Jhajjar.
Vishwajeet Chaudhary (IAS:2021:HY), Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Citizen Resources Information Officer, Charkhi Dadri and District Municipal Commissioner, Charkhi Dadri, has been transferred and posted CEO, Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited, Gurugram and Additional CEO, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, Gurugram.
Utsav Anand (IAS:2022:HY), Awaiting posting orders, has been posted as Sub Divisional Officer (Civil), Sampla.
Rahul Yadav (IOFS:2011), currently serving as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Science & Technology, has been re-designated as Director. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (14.02.2025), the competent authority has approved the proposal to re-designate Yadav’s post to Director level with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the re-designated post, and for a period up to March 20, 2028, i.e. total tenure of five years, under the central staffing scheme.
It is noteworthy that Rahul Yadav began his central deputation tenure on March 21, 2023.
Rajendra Kumar Kumhar (IOFS:2011), currently serving as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has been re-designated as Director. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (14.02.2025), the competent authority has approved the proposal to re-designate Kumhar’s post to Director level with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the re-designated post, and for a period up to September 28, 2028 i.e. total tenure of five years, under the central staffing scheme.
It is noteworthy that Rajendra Kumar Kumhar his central deputation tenure on September 29, 2023.
Pazhaniyandi Velayudhan Pillai (IRS-C&IT:2009), who was recommended for central deputation by the Department of Revenue, has been selected for appointment as Director in the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Delhi, for five years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (14.02.2025), Mr. Pillai will serve in the post under the central staffing scheme for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The process to appoint a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is in its final stage, with the Centre set to hold a selection meeting on February 17, 2025. The Prime Minister-led panel will choose a candidate from a shortlist prepared by a search committee, and the President will make the final appointment.
The current CEC Rajiv Kumar (Retd. IAS: 1984: JH) is scheduled to demit office on February 18.
The selection panel comprises Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, in his capacity as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Rajiv Kumar was appointed as CEC in May 2022, succeeding Sushil Chandra (Retd. IRS-IT:1980), who retired on May 14, 2022. Currently, Gyanesh Kumar (Retd. IAS:1988:KL) is the senior most Election Commissioner followed by Sukhbir Singh Sandhu (Retd. IAS:1988:UK).
Traditionally, the senior most Election Commissioner has been elevated to the post of CEC. However, following the implementation of a new law on CEC and EC appointments, a search committee has shortlisted five Secretary-level officers for consideration by the Prime Minister-led panel.
In addition to appointing a new CEC, the government may also appoint a new Election Commissioner to fill the vacancy created by Rajiv Kumar’s retirement.
Pallavi Prashant Holkar (IA&AS:2011), who was recommended for central deputation by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, has been selected for appointment as Director in the Ministry of Culture for five years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (13.02.2025), Ms. Holkar will serve in the post under the central staffing scheme for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
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