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Gujarat govt deploys 23 senior IPS to ensure grievance redressal in districts

By
LO Bureau
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Appointment of civic bodies Administrators

In an attempt to fine-tune the public grievance redressal system in the state, the Home Department of the Gujarat government has deployed 23 senior IPS officers to supervise grievance handling mechanisms in districts under Superintendents of Police (SPs)

These officers have been drawn from the ranks of Additional Director General (ADG), Inspector General (IG), and Deputy Inspector General (DIG), over and above the SPs at the district level.

This move was devised after a large number of people were found approaching the Home Ministry, DGP office, and even the Chief Minister’s Office with their grievances, alleging their grievances were not being heard or addressed at the SP level.

According to an internal circular issued by the Home Department, these officers have been assigned specific districts, and they will be required to visit their allotted districts in the first week of every month and submit a detailed report in the fourth week of the month to the Home Department and the DGP’s office.

They have been asked to personally meet 10 to 15 complainants whose cases were marked as “resolved” in order to verify whether the complaints were genuinely addressed, proper procedures were followed, and whether the complainants are actually satisfied with the resolution. These officers will be required to physically visit the SP office, SDPO offices, and all police stations in the district to verify the claims of grievance redressal.

The DGP office will further scrutinise their reports and forward its remarks to the Home Department.

The areas allocated to these officers are as follows: Ahmedabad Rural to DIG Deepak Meghani; Anand to DIG Sujarat Majmudar; Kheda-Nadiad and Vadodara Rural to DIG Nirlipt Rai; Gandhinagar to Addl. DGP Khurshid Ahmed; Mehsana to DIG Parikshita Rathod; Sabarkantha to IG Gagandeep Gambhir; Arvalli to DIG Vishalkumar Vaghela; Chota Udepur and Dang to DIG Saroj Kumari; Bharuch and Navsari to DIG RV Chudasma.

ECI selects 25 MP IAS as poll observers on its own; its 2-day training begins in Delhi

By
LO Bureau
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Election Commission of India

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has named over 25 IAS officers from the Madhya Pradesh cadre to act as central poll observers for the forthcoming assembly elections in the five states—West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry—taking a toll on the functioning of the government. This is the first time that the ECI did not ask the state govt to send its list of IAS officers to be deputed as election observers and simply asked it to follow its dictate.

The ECI is holding a two-day special training programme for the poll observers in Delhi on Thursday in which a large number of IAS officers selected as poll observers are participating.

The IAS officers from MP participating in this training programme, include Public Relations Commissioner Deepak Saxena, Transport Secretary Manish Singh, Agriculture Secretary Nishant Warwade, Finance Secretary Lokesh Jatav, Director of Finance Rajiv Ranjan Meena, Commissioner of Treasury Bhaskar Lakshakar, Additional Secretary of Finance Rohit Singh, Secretary of Planning and Statistics Shriman Shukla, Secretary of Fisheries Welfare Swatantra Kumar Singh, Secretary of Board of Secondary Education Buddhesh Vaidya, and some other officers who may be appointed election observers.

According to sources in government, the state govt had written to the EC to keep the officers holding important positions free from the duty of poll observers, but the EC overruled and, instead of considering the state government’s request, asked the state to send the officers named by it to Delhi for training.

It is a subtle move on the part of the ECI to get rid of the state government’s interference in the way of sending the names of officers to it for poll duties.

The ECI this time did not ask the state govt to send the list of officers to be appointed as poll observers and went ahead with naming them on its own. The commission seems to have learnt from its experience after the Bengal govt recently objected to its selecting IAS officers as poll observers on its own. Thus, the interference by the state in the poll process has ended.

State govts dragging feet in appointing regular DGPs to face contempt proceedings now: SC

By
LO Bureau
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SC to have more judges

In an attempt to stamp out the growing culture of ad-hocism with regard to the appointment of regular DGPs by state governments, the Supreme Court came down heavily on states for dragging their feet in appointing regular DGPs by delaying submission of empanelment proposals to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The apex court went a step ahead on February 5 and granted authority to the UPSC to initiate contempt proceedings against states that fail to submit timely proposals for the appointments of DGPs.

The decision stems from continued delays by several states, notably mentioned in cases involving Telangana, to follow the Supreme Court’s guidelines in the Prakash Singh case regarding police reforms. 

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi gave its ruling in a case involving Telangana. The top court fully endorsed the concern expressed by the UPSC regarding the inordinate delay on the part of several states in sending proposals for the appointment of DGPs.

The UPSC told the court that several states keep on delaying sending proposals for the appointment of DGP in total disregard of its directions. These states instead prefer an ad-hoc arrangement by appointing an acting DGP in place of a regular appointment, the top court was told.

The bench granted four weeks to the UPSC to convene a meeting and make a recommendation for the appointment of a regular DGP for Telangana, where the last regular DGP retired in 2017.

The court also emphasized that erring state officials should be held accountable for delays and will face consequences. The top court has virtually asked the UPSC to play a proactive role, as it is empowered to write to states, demanding compliance and flagging delays to the court.

The Supreme Court has long been trying to address this issue, yet several state govts are still making do with acting or ad-hoc DGPs.  

Thus, the latest move is aimed at ending the trend of appointing acting or ad-hoc DGPs by state governments in clear violation of the apex court’s guidelines issued in the Prakash Singh case in 2006. 

This is not an isolated case. There are several instances of violation of the apex court’s guidelines for appointment of regular DGPs by states, be it Haryana, Bengal, Jharkhand, or Telangana, to name just a few.

The top court also directed the UPSC to move an application in the Prakash Singh case if proposals are not sent on time by the state. 

SAIL CMD post advertisement fuels buzz around Amarendu Prakash curtailed tenure

By
LO Bureau
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SAIL Chairman Amarendu Prakash

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) on Thursday (February 5, 2026), advertised the post of Chairman and Managing Director of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), a move that has revived questions surrounding Amarendu Prakash and the sudden curtailment of his tenure at the Maharatna PSU.

The development assumes significance because resignation buzz around Amarendu Prakash had surfaced in the first week of January 2026, leaving PSU stakeholders uncertain while the Ministry of Steel maintained a stoic silence. Although Prakash will technically remain in office until April 2, 2026, the advertised vacancy indicates an early closure of what was widely understood to be a full five-year tenure following Soma Mondal’s retirement in April 2023.

The formal initiation of the selection process by PESB now lends clear weight to earlier speculation, suggesting that developments behind the scenes may have led to the tenure being cut short. With SAIL being one of India’s largest state-owned steel producers, the leadership transition is expected to have wider implications for policy direction, investor sentiment, and the broader PSU landscape.

Also Read: Clouds hover over SAIL Chairman Amarendu Prakash’s resignation  

PESB invites applications for SAIL CMD post; Amarendu Prakash’s tenure ends April 2

By
LO Bureau
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Panel recommendation for SAIL

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) on Thursday (February 5, 2026) invited applications for the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), with the application window open till February 26, 2026.

The top position at the Maharatna steel maker will fall vacant following the completion of incumbent CMD Amarendu Prakash’s tenure on April 2, 2026. Prakash had taken over as Chairman after retirement of Soma Mondal on April 30, 2023.

According to the notification issued by PESB, the appointment will be made for a period of five years from the date of joining, or until the date of superannuation, or until further orders — whichever is earlier.

The eligibility criteria also allow applicants from public sector banks and financial institutions, provided they have been serving at the Board level for at least one year as on the date of application.

DFS Joint Secretary Prashant Kumar Goyal prematurely repatriated

By
LO Bureau
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Prashant Kumar Goyal IAS

IAS officer Prashant Kumar Goyal (IAS:2007:TR), currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Department of Financial Services, has been prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre Tripura. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (February 4, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his premature repatriation with the imposition of an extended cooling-off period.

Notably, Prashant Kumar Goyal joined the Department of Financial Services as Director on June 23, 2022, for a five-year tenure that was scheduled to run until June 23, 2027. However, he is now being prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre.

ECI rejects Bengal plea to exempt officers from poll duty, face-off deepens

By
LO Bureau
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Election Commission of India

The face-off between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the West Bengal government has intensified, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenging the manner in which the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is being conducted in the Supreme Court. Amid the continuing standoff, the state government had urged the ECI to revise the list of 15 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and 10 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers appointed as central observers for Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry. The Commission, however, rejected the request and directed the officers to attend the mandatory two-day briefing beginning January 5.

In an email to West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal, the Commission stated that the exemption request had been declined and instructed that the concerned officers must attend the scheduled briefing for their respective batches.

Earlier, the state government had sent a list of nine IAS and eight IPS officers of its choice to serve as central observers while seeking exemption for certain officers, including the Home Secretary, already appointed for poll duty. The ECI had designated 15 IAS and 10 IPS officers as observers and warned that failure to attend the February 5–6 briefing in Delhi would be taken seriously and could invite disciplinary action.

According to reports, the ECI had repeatedly asked the West Bengal government and written at least five letters since November last year seeking names of officers for central observer duty before taking a final call.

UPSC not to give second chance to aspirants selected to IAS or IFS

By
LO Bureau
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Tamil Nadu DGP appointment

It is bad news for the Civil Services aspirants who take the exam even after getting selected to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or Indian Foreign Service (IFS) for the sake of getting a better position and posting. The Union Public Service Commission has revised its framework to eliminate the provision of a second chance for candidates selected for IAS or IFS.

Under the revised rules, once a candidate is allocated either of the two premier services, the option to reappear at the Civil Services Examination (CSE) will no longer be available. Besides, the Commission introduces a one-time exemption rule for candidates allotted IPS or Group A services through the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026. Further, they will be allowed to defer only the foundation course.

It was clarified by the UPSC through a notification issued by it on Wednesday. While advertising the recruitment of 933 vacancies, the Commission said if such candidates clear the CSE 2026 Preliminary Examination but get appointed to IAS or IFS before the mains examination on the basis of a previous exam, they will not be allowed to write the mains exam.

Similarly, if they are selected as IAS or IFS officers after the mains examination but before the final results, the CSE 2026 result will not be considered for any service allocation.

These restrictions are milder for the IPS. Those selected or appointed to the IPS through an earlier examination will be allowed to appear for this year’s exam, but they cannot be allocated IPS again. It means they can take the exam for being selected as an IAS or IFS officer only.

Those who are allotted IPS or any Group ‘A’ service through CSE 2026 will get one additional attempt in CSE 2027, subject to strict conditions. Such candidates will have to obtain a one-time exemption from training with due permission from the competent authority. This exemption is allowed only once.

Failure to either join training or secure exemption will result in cancellation of the service allocation.

According to the revised rule, if a candidate appears in CSE 2027 and is selected again, they will be given the option to choose between the service allocated through CSE 2026 or CSE 2027. If no service is secured in CSE 2027, the candidate may still join the service allotted through the 2026 exam.

It has been clarified that seniority will not be reduced and will depend on the date of actual joining of service. After joining a service through CSE 2026 or CSE 2027, candidates will not be permitted to appear for CSE 2028 or later examinations unless they resign from service.

Candidates wishing to retain their remaining attempts must refrain from joining any service allotted through CSE 2026 or CSE 2027, in which case the service allocation will automatically stand cancelled.

There will be a one-time opportunity to appear in either CSE 2026 or CSE 2027 for candidates already allocated a service through CSE 2025 or earlier without resigning from service. If a candidate wishes to appear for CSE-2028 or subsequent examinations, resignation from the existing service will be mandatory.

UP reshuffle: 24 IPS officers transferred, SSPs-SPs changed in 11 districts

By
LO Bureau
-

In a major administrative move, the Uttar Pradesh government has carried out a 24 IPS officer transfer, signalling a wide-ranging reshuffle in the state police hierarchy.

Among the key changes, recently promoted Director General-rank officer Sujeet Pandey (IPS:1994:UP) has been posted as Director General of Police, Fire and Emergency Services, headquarters Lucknow. He was earlier serving as ADGP, Lucknow Zone. Meanwhile, Praveen Kumar (IPS:2001:UP), who was heading the Ayodhya Range as Inspector General, has been promoted and appointed as ADGP, Lucknow Zone.

The reshuffle has also led to the transfer of Senior Superintendents of Police and Superintendents of Police in 11 key districts—Jaunpur, Kheri, Sultanpur, Gorakhpur, Meerut, Mirzapur, Raebareli, Pilibhit, Amethi, Saharanpur and Basti—signalling a wider administrative recalibration at the district policing level. The 24 IPS officer transfer is seen as an effort to streamline field command and strengthen administrative coordination across regions.

Officers transferred and their new postings:

  1. Sujeet Pandey (IPS:1994:UP) – ADGP, Lucknow Zone → DGP, Fire & Emergency Services, Lucknow
  2. Praveen Kumar (IPS:2001:UP) – IG, Ayodhya Range → ADGP, Lucknow Zone
  3. Katarpu Sunil Emmanuel (IPS:2003:UP) – IGP, EOW → IGP/GSO to DGP, UP
  4. Vinod Kumar Singh (IPS:2007:UP) – Joint CP, Kanpur → IGP, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Police Academy, Moradabad
  5. Alok Priyadarshi (IPS-SPS:2011) – Addl CP, Ghaziabad → Addl CP, Varanasi
  6. Raj Karan Nayyar (IPS:2012:UP) – DIG/SSP, Gorakhpur → Addl CP, Ghaziabad
  7. Somen Barma (IPS:2012:UP) – DIG/SP, Mirzapur → DIG, Ayodhya Range
  8. Sankalp Sharma (IPS:2012:UP) – DIG/SP, Kheri → Joint CP, Kanpur
  9. Vipin Tada (IPS:2012:UP) – DIG/SSP, Meerut → Joint CP, Kanpur
  10. Abhishek Yadav (IPS:2012:UP) – DIG/SP, Pilibhit → DIG, ATS, Lucknow
  11. Ashish Tiwari (IPS:2012:UP) – DIG/SSP, Saharanpur → DIG, Technical Services, Lucknow
  12. Pratap Gopendra Yadav (IPS:2012:UP) – DIG/SP, PTC Moradabad → DIG, PHQ, Lucknow
  13. Kunwar Anupam Singh (IPS:2013:UP) – SP, Sultanpur → SSP, Jaunpur
  14. Khyati Garg (IPS:2013:UP) – Commandant, 9th PAC Moradabad → SP, Kheri
  15. Yashveer Singh (IPS:2013:UP) – SP, Raebareli → SP, Basti
  16. Charu Nigam (IPS:2014:UP) – Commandant, 47th PAC Ghaziabad → SP, Sultanpur
  17. Abhinandan (IPS:2014:UP) – SP, Basti → SSP, Saharanpur
  18. Dr Kaustubh (IPS:2015:UP) – SSP, Jaunpur → SSP, Gorakhpur
  19. Avinash Pandey (IPS:2015:UP) – Commandant, 1st SSF Lucknow → SSP, Meerut
  20. Aparna Rajat Kaushik (IPS:2015:UP) – SP, Amethi → SP, Mirzapur
  21. Ravi Kumar – Commandant, 11th PAC Sitapur → SP, Raebareli
  22. Sukirti Madhav (IPS:2015:UP) – SP, Regional Intelligence Agra → SP, Pilibhit
  23. Saravanan T (IPS:2019:UP) – Addl DCP, Varanasi → SP, Amethi
  24. Anukriti Sharma (IPS:2020:UP) – Addl SP, Sambhal → Addl DCP, Gautam Buddh Nagar

ACC empanels 24 IAS officers of 2010 batch for Joint Secretary posts

By
LO Bureau
-
Joint Secretary Empanelment

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Wednesday (February 4, 2026) cleared empanelment of 24 senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officials belonging to 2010 batch for holding Joint Secretary or equivalent level posts in the Government of India.

The names of the officers are;

  1. Nidhi Srivastava (AGMUT)
  2. Sakshi Mittal (AGMUT)
  3. Jitender Yadav (AGMUT)
  4. Amrapali Kata (AP)
  5. Narayan Konwar (AM)
  6. Sujeet Kumar (GJ)
  7. Hardik Satishchandra Shah (GJ)
  8. S S Nakul (KN)
  9. K B Sivakumar (KN)
  10. Ganesh Shankar Mishra (MP)
  11. Shanmuga Priya Mishra (MP)
  12. Shelesh Nawal (MH)
  13. Ashutosh Salil (MH)
  14. Uday G Chaudhari (MH)
  15. Harmit Singh Pahuja (MN)
  16. Karma R Bonpo (SK)
  17. Kapil Meena (SK)
  18. Praveen P Nair (TN)
  19. Rashmi Siddharth Zagade (TN)
  20. Preeti Meena (TG)
  21. Vikas Singh (TR)
  22. Mahatme Sandeep Namdeo (TR)
  23. K Balaji (UP)
  24. Vishwanath (WB)
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