Senior IAS officer AK Rakesh (IAS:1989:GJ) was appointed as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department on Monday, following an order from the Election Commission.

As per the order issued by the Gujarat government, AK Rakesh, who currently serves as the Additional Chief Secretary to Government in the Agriculture, Farmers Welfare, and Co-operation Department at Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar, will hold the additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary to Government in the Home Department until further notice. This appointment relieves Pankaj Joshi (IAS:1989:GJ) of the additional charge of the post.

The Election Commission’s order highlighted the removal of home secretaries in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand due to their holding of dual charges in the offices of the respective chief ministers.

The Election Commission emphasized that such dual responsibilities may potentially compromise, or be perceived to compromise, the impartiality and neutrality required during the electoral process, particularly in matters concerning law and order and the deployment of forces. Joshi, who is posted as Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), was given additional charge as ACS (Home) on February 1 this year, following the retirement of Mukesh Puri on January 31.