In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the Tamil Nadu government on Friday (31.01.2025) issued transfer and posting orders for 31 IAS officers, including nine District Collectors. Additionally, the services of four IAS officers have been placed at the disposal of various state undertakings for appointment to different roles.
The Haryana government on Friday (31.01.2025) implemented a significant administrative reshuffle, issuing transfer orders for six IAS officers and one IRS officer. Notably, Ambala and Yamunanagar will have new Deputy Commissioners.
The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;
H Shankar has been selected for appointment as Managing Director (MD), Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on January 31, 2025. Presently, he is serving as Director (Technical) with additional Charge of Managing Director, CPCL.
He will be appointed to the post of Managing Director after receiving vigilance clearances and approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
The following 7 applicants were interviewed in the selection meeting
Retired judges will soon be part of High Court (HC) benches after being reappointed as ad-hoc judges. The reappointment process was set in motion by a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna. The plan was decided after getting no objection from the Union government. With this move, the Supreme Court plans to reappoint up to five HC judges per HC to address the backlog of about 62 lakh cases.
It is going to be done under the dormant Article 224A of the Constitution, used only thrice in last 75 years. According to it, retired judges, on being appointed as ad hoc judges, would enjoy all powers and privileges of an HC judge, but they would not be deemed to be a judge of the HC. This means, they will not have any say in the administrative affairs of the high court, nor will they head a division bench.
The HC collegiums will be recommending names of retired judges to the Supreme Court collegium, which will then select suitable persons and recommend their names for appointment as ad hoc judges of HCs for a fixed tenure or for specific purpose.
A bench of the top three SC judges, CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, clarified that the retired judges, after being appointed, would be part of a bench headed by a sitting judge of the HC. It was also clarified that no fresh cases would be listed before a bench which has an ad hoc judge.
This move is aimed at reducing the huge backlog of the pending cases in High Courts. Of the total pendency of over 62 lakh cases, 18.2 lakh are criminal cases and 44 lakh civil.
The Allahabad high court has the highest pendency of more than 11.5 lakh cases – 6 lakh civil cases and 5.5 lakh criminal cases, yet it is functioning at 50% strength. Similarly, total pendency in Bombay HC is 6.5 lakh, Calcutta HC 2 lakh, Madras HC 5.2 lakh, Delhi HC 1.3 lakh, Punjab and Haryana HC 4.3 lakh and Karnataka HC 3 lakh.
The Uttarakhand government has constituted the 6th State Finance Commission with former Chief Secretary N Ravishankar as its Chairman. Two retired IAS officers P S Jangpangi and Dr M C Joshi have been made members of the commission. Additional Secretary (Finance) Dr. Ahmed Iqbal will serve as Secretary to the Commission.
Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Anand Bardhan issued the notification for its formation.
The commission will have a one-year term and give its recommendation for a period of five years starting April 1, 2026. During this period, it will assess the financial condition of the three-tier panchayat raj institutions and urban local bodies and submit its recommendations to the governor.
The Finance Commission will allocate respective share of net proceeds of taxes, duties, tolls and fees among Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies at all levels and suggest measures to strengthen their financial position. It will also recommend additional resource mobilisation and any other matter considered by the Governor in the interest of the sound finances of the three-tier Panchayats and urban local bodies.
It will assess the status of infrastructure in urban, semi-urban areas and census towns, identify gaps, suggest measures for their improvement and enhancement. It will further assess the status of implementation of reforms in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies and suggest measures to improve governance and implementation.
While making its recommendation, the Finance Commission will also look into the revenue resources of the State Government and the demand thereon, particularly the expenditure on civil administration, debt service and other committed expenditure or liabilities. It will recommend resource mobilization capacity for the coming years and tax efforts in this direction, as well as additional resource mobilization.
The Commission will make specific recommendations with regard to provision of funds for expenditure on both revenue and capital sides. Plus, it also has to identify issues for the Seventeenth Finance Commission of the Centre. The Commission is empowered to call for any information or document from any officer or authority. Similarly, it can also summon any person to submit documents. The Commission will lay down its own procedure.
It may be recalled that former Chief Secretary Indu Kumar Pandey was the Chairman of the Fifth Finance Commission, while Dr BK Joshi was the Chairman of Fourth State Finance Commission in Uttarakhand.
Ragul K (IAS:2012:SK) has been appointed as Regional Director, Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Southern Region (SR), Chennai for four years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (31.01.2025), the competent authority has approved the appointment of Mr. Ragul to the post under central staffing scheme for four years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Namrata Gandhi (IAS:2013:CG) has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat for five years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (31.01.2025), the competent authority has approved the appointment of Ms. Gandhi to the post under central staffing scheme for four years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Priyanka Das (IAS:2009:MP) has been appointed as Deputy Director (Sr.) (Director level) in the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy Of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, for five years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (31.01.2025), the competent authority has approved the appointment of Ms. Das to the post under central staffing scheme for five years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Shweta Teotia (IAS:2011:GJ) has been appointed as Deputy Director (Sr.) (Director level) in the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy Of Administration (LBSNAA), for five years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (31.01.2025), the competent authority has approved the appointment of Ms. Teotia to the post under central staffing scheme for five years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Arshad Ayub Sheikh (IAS:2013:AGMUT), who was recommended for central deputation by the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been selected for appointment as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). According to an order issued by the DoPT on Friday (20.12.2024), the central government authority has approved the appointment of Mr. Sheikh for a tenure upto October 31, 2028 (i.e. till the date of his superannuation) from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Join Us on WhatsApp