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Amid evolving global scenario, veteran politician Dinesh Trivedi to be India’s new envoy to Bangladesh

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LO Bureau
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Dinesh Trivedi, new envoy to Bangladesh

In a development that may lead to far-reaching consequences in the Indian subcontinent, former Union Minister Dinesh Trivedi has been appointed as India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Trivedi, a 75-year-old veteran politician and an MP from Barrackpore in West Bengal, is the first political appointee in the neighbourhood after a long time.

He will be replacing Pranay Verma, a career diplomat. Verma is said to be moving to Brussels as the Indian ambassador to the European Union (EU).

A former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, Trivedi first became an MoS for Health and Family Welfare during the UPA regime and later a Union Minister for Railways before joining the BJP on March 6, 2021.

The appointment of a hardcore politician as a diplomat in a neighbouring country with which India has had strained relations after the coup of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and installation of the Mohammed Yunus regime is a significant step. During the tenure of US-backed Yunus, the India-Bangladesh ties deteriorated, with the chief advisor unable to contain sectarian violence against the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh.

Against this background, Trivedi’s appointment is a clear signal that India is not averse to sending political leaders as India’s envoys to key countries, and these much sought-after postings are not merely a preserve of Indian Foreign Service officers.

A section of even career diplomats describes Trivedi’s appointment as a commendable move, as it feels politicians have distinct working styles not fettered by protocols as happens with professional diplomats.

That was perhaps the reason why veteran journalist Kuldeep Nayar had been appointed as India’s High Commissioner in the UK by the then VP Singh govt in 1989-90.

Similarly, former Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag also served as Indian High Commissioner to Seychelles from 2019 to 2022.

Thus, the Trivedi’s posting to Dhaka should be interpreted as India’s fresh diplomatic recalibration to position political heavyweights to the neighbourhood as envoys. It also indicates that in the changing global geopolitics, the era of an ambassador for good times needs to be redefined at least in the Indian subcontinent.

15 DMs among 40 IAS officers transferred in Uttar Pradesh

By
LO Bureau
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The Uttar Pradesh Government on Sunday night carried out a major administrative reshuffle, transferring 40 IAS officers and changing District Magistrates (DMs) in 15 districts.

Alok Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Industrial Development Department, has been relieved of the additional charge of the MSME and Export Promotion Department. Meanwhile, Pankaj Kumar has been removed as Managing Director of UP Power Corporation and is yet to be assigned a new posting.

In a significant move, Durgashakti Nagpal, District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri, has been promoted and appointed as Divisional Commissioner of Devipatan Division. Agra DM Arvind Mallapa Bangari has been posted as Special Secretary to the Chief Minister.

Transport Commissioner Kinjal Singh has been shifted and appointed Secretary in the Secondary Education Department, while Ashutosh Niranjan, who recently returned from central deputation, has been made the new Transport Commissioner.

Among other changes, Bulandshahr DM Shruti has been appointed Managing Director of Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam. Jhansi DM Mridul Chaudhary has been moved as Special Secretary in the Tourism Department.

Fatehpur DM Ravindra Kumar has been appointed Special Secretary in the Energy Department. Raebareli DM Harshita Mathur has been posted as Director in the Women and Child Development Department, while Shravasti DM Ashwini Kumar Pandey has been appointed Director in the Minority Department.

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

  1. Gaurang Rathi (IAS:2014:UP), District Magistrate of Unnao, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Jhansi.
  2. Indrajit Singh (IAS:2016:UP) , Special Secretary, Energy and Renewable Energy Sources Department; Director, UPNEDA and Managing Director, UP Renewable and EV Infrastructure Limited, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Sultanpur.
  3. Kumar Harsh (IAS:2016:UP), District Magistrate of Sultanpur, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Bulandshahr.
  4. Annapurna Garg (IAS:2016:UP), Special Secretary, Appointment and Personnel Department, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Shravasti.
  5. Alok Yadav (IAS:2015:UP), Vice Chairman, Jhansi Development Authority, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Shamli.
  6. Arvind Kumar Chauhan (IAS:2015:UP), District Magistrate of Shamli, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Saharanpur.
  7. Nitin Gaur (IAS:2016:UP), Vice Chairman, Hapur-Pilkhuwa Development Authority, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Amroha.
  8. Abhishek Goyal (IAS:2016:UP), Special Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies Department and Controller, Legal Metrology (Weights & Measures), has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Hamirpur.
  9. Sarneet Kaur Broca (IAS:2016:UP), Director, Child Development and Nutrition, and Director, State Nutrition Mission, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Rae Bareli.
  10. Nidhi Gupta Vats (IAS:2014:UP), District Magistrate of Amroha, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Fatehpur.
  11. Ghanshyam Meena (IAS:2015:UP), District Magistrate of Hamirpur, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Unnao.
  12. Anjani Kumar Singh (IAS:2015:UP), District Magistrate of Mainpuri, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Lakhimpur Kheri.
  13. Dr Indramani Tripathi (IAS:2014:UP), District Magistrate of Auraiya, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Mainpuri.
  14. Brijesh Kumar (IAS:2014:UP), Special Secretary to the Chief Minister, and Additional Director, Uttar Pradesh State Agricultural Produce Market Board, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Auraiya.
  15. Manish Bansal (IAS:2014:UP), District Magistrate of Saharanpur, has been transferred and posted as District Magistrate, Agra.
  16. Arvind Mallappa Bangari (IAS:2011:UP), District Magistrate of Agra, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary to the Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh Government.
  17. Nitish Kumar (IAS:2010:UP), Managing Director, Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam, Agra, has been transferred and posted as Managing Director, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited.
  18. Shruti (IAS:2011:UP), District Magistrate of Bulandshahr, has been transferred and posted as Managing Director, Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam, Agra.
  19. Ashutosh Niranjan (IAS:2010:UP), awaiting posting orders, has been posted as Transport Commissioner.
  20. Kinjal Singh (IAS:2008:UP), Transport Commissioner, has been transferred and posted as Secretary, Secondary Education Department.
  21. Durga Shakti Nagpal (IAS:2010:UP), District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri, has been transferred and posted as Divisional Commissioner, Devipatan Division.
  22. Shashi Bhushan Lal Sushil (IAS:2001:UP), Divisional Commissioner, Devipatan Division, has been transferred and posted as Principal Secretary, MSME and Export Promotion Department.
  23. Alok Kumar-II (IAS:1993:UP), Additional Chief Secretary, MSME and Export Promotion, Infrastructure and Industrial Development and NRI Department, Uttar Pradesh Government, has been relieved from additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary, MSME and Export Promotion Department.
  24. Ravinder Singh (IAS:2014:UP), District Magistrate of Fatehpur, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Energy and Renewable Energy Sources Department; Director, UPNEDA and Managing Director, UP Renewable and EV Infrastructure Limited.
  25. Mridul Chaudhary (IAS:2014:UP), District Magistrate of Jhansi, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Tourism Department and Director, Tourism.
  26. Ashwini Kumar Pandey (IAS:2016:UP), District Magistrate of Shravasti, has been transferred and posted as Director, Minority Welfare.
  27. Harshita Mathur (IAS:2023:UP), District Magistrate of Rae Bareli, has been transferred and posted as Director, Child Development and Nutrition, and Director, State Nutrition Mission.
  28. Anita Verma Singh (IAS:2013:UP), Special Secretary, Higher Education Department, and Registrar, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Lucknow, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies Department, and Controller, Legal Metrology (Weights & Measures), Uttar Pradesh.
  29. Sachin Kumar Singh (IAS-SCS:2021), Chief Development Officer, Amethi, has been transferred and posted as Additional Director, Uttar Pradesh State Agricultural Produce Market Board, Lucknow.
  30. Basant Agrawal (IAS), Additional District Magistrate (Finance/Revenue), Hathras, has been transferred and posted as Director, ESI Scheme, Labour Medical Services.
  31. Saumya Pandey (IAS:2017:UP), Additional Commissioner, Uttar Pradesh, and Director, Employees State Insurance Scheme Labour Medical Services, Uttar Pradesh, has been relieved from additional charge of Director, Employees State Insurance Scheme Labour Medical Services, Uttar Pradesh.
  32. Junaid Ahmed (IAS:2019:UP), Chief Development Officer, Jhansi, has been transferred and posted as Additional Commissioner, Kanpur Nagar.
  33. Himanshu Gautam (IAS:2018:UP), Chief Development Officer, Hapur, has been transferred and posted as Vice Chairman, Jhansi Development Authority.
  34. Mukesh Chandra (IAS:2018:UP), Chief Development Officer, Bahraich, has been transferred and posted as Vice Chairman, Hapur-Pilkhuwa Development Authority.
  35. Keshav Kumar (PCS:2004), Chief Development Officer, Badaun, has been transferred and posted as Registrar, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University.
  36. Shruti Sharma (IAS:2021:UP), Joint Magistrate, Deoria, has been transferred and posted as Chief Development Officer, Hapur.
  37. Gamini Singla (IAS:2021:UP), Joint Magistrate, Sultanpur, has been transferred and posted as Chief Development Officer, Badaun.
  38. Sunil Kumar Dhanwanta (IAS:2022:UP), Joint Magistrate, Azamgarh, has been transferred and posted as Chief Development Officer, Bahraich.
  39. Pooja Sahu (IAS:2022:UP), Joint Magistrate, Chitrakoot, has been transferred and posted as Chief Development Officer, Amethi.
  40. Rameshwar Sudhakar Sabbanwad (IAS:2022:UP), Joint Magistrate, Ghazipur, has been transferred and posted as Chief Development Officer, Jhansi.

Satyajit Mohanty gets extension as Joint Secretary in Department of Defence

By
LO Bureau
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Department of Defence

The central deputation tenure of Satyajit Mohanty (IRS-C&IT:1999) as Joint Secretary in the Department of Defence has been extended by one year. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Saturday (April 18, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of Ministry of Defence to extend his deputation tenure for a period of one year beyond July 9, 2026 or until further orders, whichever occurs the earliest.

Himani Pande gets extension as Additional Secretary in DPIIT

By
LO Bureau
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Himani Pande IAS

IAS Officer Himani Pande (IAS:1998:JH), currently serving in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), has been granted an extension in the temporary upgradation of her post from Joint Secretary level to Additional Secretary level.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Saturday (April 18, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension of her upgradation for a term up to April 18, 2027.

Pande is presently holding the upgraded post in DPIIT under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Ajit Roy appointed Deputy Secretary in Home Ministry

By
LO Bureau
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Ajit Roy IAS

IAS officer Ajit Roy (IAS:2013:AGMUT), who was recommended for central deputation by the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs for four years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (April 16, 2026), the Competent authority has approved his appointment to the post under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of four years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever event takes place earlier.

Ankit Kumar Agrawal appointed Director in MSME Ministry

By
LO Bureau
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Ankit Kumar Agrawal IAS

Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer Ankit Kumar Agrawal (IAS:2012:UP) has been appointed as Director in the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Delhi, for five years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (April 16, 2026), the Competent authority has approved his appointment to 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 event takes place earlier.

Prashant Panwar appointed Deputy Secretary in Ministry of Coal

By
LO Bureau
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Prashant Panwar IAS

Haryana cadre IAS officer Prashant Panwar (IAS:2015:HY) has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Coal, Delhi. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on April 15, 2026, his appointment has been made under the central staffing scheme for a period of four years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

S Vineeth appointed Private Secretary to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

By
LO Bureau
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S Vineet IAS

IAS officer S Vineeth (IAS:2013:TN) has been appointed as Private Secretary to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for a tenure of five years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (April 15, 2026), the competent authority has approved his appointment at the Deputy Secretary level for a period of five-year with effect from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or on coterminous basis with the Minister or till he ceases to function as Private Secretary to the Minister or until further orders, whichever occurs the earliest.

He is currently posted in the cadre state Tamil Nadu as Director of Project Urban Health Care.

Haryana CMO Reshuffle: Rajesh Khullar retains key role, fresh work allocation issued

By
LO Bureau
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Rajesh Khullar IAS

Haryana Chief Principal Secretary Rajesh Khullar (Retd.IAS:1988:HY) will continue to occupy the central role in the state’s bureaucracy, as the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has issued a fresh allocation of work among officers attached with it.

Khullar has been entrusted with the charge of 18 key departments, including Home, Finance, Excise & Taxation, Vigilance, Health, Energy and Agriculture, among others. In addition, he will oversee overall functioning of the CMO, handle all legislative matters and also look after subjects not allocated to any other officer, further consolidating his central role in decision-making.

Meanwhile, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Arun Kumar Gupta (IAS:1992:HY) has been given charge of 10 departments, including Civil Aviation, Environment & Forest, Food & Civil Supplies, Public Works (B&R), Rural Development, Transport and Urban Local Bodies. He will also be responsible for implementation of Chief Minister’s announcements.

Deputy Principal Secretary (DPSCM-I) Yash Pal (IAS:2011:HY) has been assigned nine departments, including Development & Panchayats, Public Health Engineering, School Education, Sports, Architecture and Archives, among others.

Another Deputy Principal Secretary (DPSCM-II), Ajay Kumar (IAS:2013:HY), has been given charge of seven departments such as Cooperation, Elections, Fisheries, Women & Child Development and Foreign Cooperation. In addition, he will monitor budget announcements, flagship projects and oversee the Kurukshetra Development Board.

Raj Nehru (IAS), serving as Officer on Special Duty to CM (OSDCM), has been entrusted with Culture, Higher Education, Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship.

Among HCS officers, Vivek Kalia has been assigned CM Window and Jan Samvad, while Sudhanshu Gautam will look after CM Relief Fund, allotment of government houses (except Type-V), HRDF, IRMS and online transfer policy, along with related institutional work.

Rakesh Sandhu has been given responsibility for CM Window and grievances, while Narendra Pal Malik will handle ACM-related work and administrative matters in the CMO.

Also Read: Haryana CMO restructured; Rajesh Khullar now handles 16 departments

Also Read: Khullar set to rule the roost in Haryana CMO


Allahabad HC issues notice to ex-UP DGP Prashant Kumar for objectionable language

By
LO Bureau
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Prashant Kumar ex-UP DGP

In an intriguing development, the Allahabad High Court issued a personal notice to former Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar (IPS:1990:UP) on Friday while hearing a criminal writ petition. The court has sought Kumar’s explanation for using objectionable language in his official letter.

The High Court ordered the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Lucknow, to serve the notice within 48 hours through the DGP. The DGP will then send the notice to the former DGP at his current residence. The court also directed the Registrar (Compliance) to communicate the order to the CJM, Lucknow, within 48 hours.

This order was passed by a division bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena while hearing a criminal petition filed by a lawyer named Amit Kumar Singh alias Sonu.

Prashant Kumar, who was earlier posted as ADG (Law and Order), has been directed to file a personal affidavit in response to the notice, providing an explanation regarding his official letter, which contained objectionable language.

The High Court deemed the language used in paragraph one of that letter “objectionable” and directed the former ADG to file a show-cause affidavit through his current residence address, explaining the objectionable language.

It should be pointed out here that Kumar was appointed as the Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) in December 2025.

The next hearing will be held on April 28.

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