The deputation tenure of S Suresh (IPS:1995:KL) as Additional Director General (ADG) in Special Protection Group (SPG) has been extended for one year. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (27.02.2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Office of Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat to extend the tenure of Mr. Suresh for a period of one year beyond March 8, 2025 by temporarily upgrading the post of IG to ADG in SPG, in relaxation of the IPS Tenure Policy.
Union Minister KR Naidu’s PS Shrikesh B Lathkar re-designated as Director
Shrikesh B Lathkar (IAS:2011:AP), currently serving as the Private Secretary to Minister for Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, at the Deputy Secretary level, has been re-designated as Director in the same Ministry.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (27.02.2025), the competent authority has approved the proposal to re-designate Mr. Lathkar’s post to Director level with effect from the date of assumption of charge of re-designated post and for a period upto December 3, 2029 or on co-terminus basis with the Minister or till he ceases to function as Private Secretary to the Minister or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
It is noteworthy that Shrikesh B Lathkar began his central deputation tenure on December 4, 2024.
Punjab: Two DCs among 5 IAS officers shifted
The Punjab government on Thursday (27.02.2025) issued transfer and posting orders for five IAS officers.
The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;
- Vishesh Sarangal (IAS:2013:PB), Deputy Commissioner, Moga, has been transferred and his services are place at the disposal of the Department of Housing and Urban Development for posting as Chief Administrator, Greater Mohali Area Development Authority, SAS Nagar.
- Sandeep Kumar (IAS:2015:PB), Additional Registrar (Admn.), Cooperative Societies, has been transferred and his services are place at the disposal of the Department of Housing and Urban Development for posting as Chief Administrator, Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority, Greater Ludhiana.
- Abhijeet Kaplish (IAS:2015:PB), Deputy Commissioner, Sri Muktsar Sahib, has been given additional charge of Director Mines and Geology.
- Sagar Setia (IAS:2017:PB), Additional Secretary, Higher Education & Languages, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Moga.
- Ojasvi (IAS:2020:PB), Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Faridkot, has been transferred and his services are placed at the disposal of the Department of Housing and Urban Development for posting as Additional Chief Administrator, Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority, Greater Ludhiana.
Punjab: Two IAS officers shifted
The Punjab government on Tuesday (25.02.2025) issued transfer and posting orders for two IAS officers.
The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;
- Virendra Kumar Sharma (IAS:2009:PB), Managing Director, Punjab Health System Corporation with additional charges of Secretary, Health & Family Welfare; Secretary, Punjab State Human Rights Commission and MD, Punjab Small Industries Expert Corporation, has been transferred and posted as Secretary-cum-Director, Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs
- Surabhi Malik (IAS:2012:PB), Chief Executive, Punjab Energy Development Agency, has been transferred and posted as Director, Industries & Commerce with additional charge of Managing Director, Punjab Small Industries Export Corporation.
CAT Hyderabad denies relief to IPS Abhilasha Bisht, directs her to report to Andhra Pradesh
Senior IPS officer Abhilasha Bisht (IPS:1994) will have to report to the Andhra Pradesh government after the Hyderabad bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) refused to extend interim relief to her. The tribunal directed that she be relieved from the Telangana cadre and report to Andhra Pradesh.
Bisht had approached CAT’s Hyderabad bench challenging the Union Home Ministry’s order issued on February 21, which directed her, along with two other senior IPS officers—Anjani Kumar (IPS:1990) and Abhishek Mohanty (IPS:2011)—to be relieved from Telangana and report to the Andhra Pradesh government within 24 hours.
The tribunal, comprising judicial member Dr. Lata Baswaraj Patne and administrative member Shalini Misra, heard the petition and issued notices to the Centre, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, asking them to respond to Bisht’s application.
Bisht’s counsel requested a stay on the transfer orders until the Union and state governments filed their responses. However, the tribunal declined to grant a stay. “She can go and join there, and in the meantime, we will hear the version of the Centre and adjudicate the issue,” the tribunal stated.
According to her petition, Abhilasha Bisht was initially allotted to the West Bengal cadre. After marrying an AP cadre IPS officer, she secured a transfer to the AP cadre in 1997. Her plea highlights the presence of two junior IPS officers, Sowmya Misra (IPS:1994) and Shikha Goel (IPS:1994), who also moved to the AP cadre on spousal grounds before her transfer. Despite maintaining seniority above them for over two decades in the All-India seniority list, Bisht alleged that officials manipulated records during the state bifurcation, placing Sowmya Misra above her due to an earlier transfer date.
In her petition before the tribunal, Bisht argued that had the Pratyush Sinha Committee norms been applied properly, she would have been placed in the Telangana cadre instead of AP. She has continued working in Telangana for past 11 years, following a CAT order. However, the MHA has now issued a directive for her to join the AP cadre, decision she has contested.
Meanwhile, following the Union Home Ministry’s directive, the Telangana government relieved IPS officers Anjani Kumar and Abhilasha Bisht on February 22, enabling them to assume their responsibilities in Andhra Pradesh. However, Bisht sought interim relief from CAT.
Additionally, the Telangana government has written to the Election Commission regarding the transfer of Karimnagar Police Commissioner Abhishek Mohanty. With Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections scheduled in Karimnagar on February 27, the government has requested the State Chief Electoral Officer to decide on Mohanty’s transfer.
SC closes plea against Rakesh Asthana’s appointment as CP of Delhi
The Supreme Court on Tuesday disposed of a plea challenging the 2021 appointment of Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police Commissioner, deeming it infructuous following his retirement in 2022.
However, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh left open the broader legal question of whether the Prakash Singh guidelines on police appointments apply to the selection of Delhi’s police chief.
The petition filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) had argued that Asthana’s appointment violated the Supreme Court’s six-month residual service rule for police chiefs. It pointed out that Asthana, a Gujarat-cadre 1984 batch IPS officer, was transferred to Delhi just four days before retirement to assume the post.
The Delhi High Court had upheld Asthana’s appointment in October 2021, ruling that the Prakash Singh guidelines were applicable only to state DGPs, not the Delhi Police Commissioner.
During Tuesday’s hearing, CPIL’s counsel Prashant Bhushan raised concerns about executive overreach in police appointments, arguing that politically endorsed candidates were being placed in key positions, bypassing standard procedures.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union government, maintained that Asthana’s appointment was made in the public interest and within legal bounds.
While the Supreme Court refrained from ruling on the applicability of Prakash Singh guidelines to Delhi, it noted that it may take judicial notice in future cases if irregularities arise. The matter was disposed of without setting any precedent.
SEBI Chief selection: Top bureaucrats under consideration
With Madhabi Puri Buch’s tenure as Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) set to end on February 28, anticipation is mounting over who will take charge of the country’s market regulator. While speculation is rife in power corridors, no one is willing to make firm predictions, as the government has a history of making unexpected choices, often proving speculators wrong—past key appointments suggest the same trend.
www.legendofficers.com has reliably learned that the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointments Search Committee (FSRASC) has completed all formalities and recommended the name of a probable candidate to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for final approval. With the government having completed its procedural requirements, an official announcement is expected soon.
Our sources indicate that a seasoned bureaucrat could be appointed as the next SEBI Chairperson. The names currently under consideration include:
- Tuhin Kanta Pandey (IAS:1987:OR) – Finance Secretary & Revenue Secretary
- Ajay Seth (IAS:1987:AM) – Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs
- Pankaj Jain (IAS:1987:AM) – Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
- Ashwani Bhatia – Whole-Time Member, SEBI
- Anand Mohan Bajaj (IA&AS:1990) – Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (Former SEBI Member)
Among these, the first three names—Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Ajay Seth, and Pankaj Jain—are seen as the top contenders.
The central government had invited applications for the SEBI Chairman’s post on January 27, 2025. The appointment will be made based on the recommendation of the FSRASC, which also holds the discretion to suggest a candidate who has not formally applied, provided they meet the eligibility and merit criteria.
DCO/DCR Gujarat Ardra Agrawal repatriated to parent cadre
Ardra Agrawal (IAS:2007:GJ), currently serving as Director of Census Operations (DCO)/ Director of Citizen Registration (DCR), Gujarat, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, has been prematurely repatriated to her parent cadre. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Tuesday (25.02.2025), the competent authority has approved the proposal of O/o Registrar General of India to repatriate Ms. Agrawal to her parent cadre on person grounds with the provision of extended cooling off.
She was appointed to the post of DCO/DCR, Gujarat, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli on December 23, 2021.
Tamil Nadu: Two senior IPS shifted, Ayush Mani Tiwari posted as ADGP, SCRB
The Tamil Nadu government on Monday evening (24.02.2025) issued transfer and posting orders for two senior IPS officers.
The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;
- Ayush Mani Tiwari, ADGP, now on vacancy reserve @O/o, DGP/HoPF, Chennai, has been posted as ADGP, State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB), Chennai.
- HM Jayaram, ADGP, State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB), Chennai, has been transferred and posted as ADGP, Armed Police, Chennai.
Tamil Nadu: 13 IPS officers shifted
In a significant development, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday evening (24.02.2025) issued transfer and posting orders for 13 IPS officers across the state.
The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;
- P Balaji, SP/Assistant IG, Welfare, O/o DGP/HoPF, has been transferred and posted as DCP, Redhills, Avadi Police Commissionerate.
- Dr. K S Bala Krisshnan, DCP, Avadi Police Commissionerate, has been transferred and posted as SP/Assistant IG, Welfare, O/o DGP/HoPF.
- S Brinda, DCP, North Salem City, has been transferred and posted as SP/Commandant, Tamil Nadu Special Police, Regimental Centre, Avadi.
- D Ashok Kumar, SP-I, Cyber Crimes Division, Cyber Crime Wing, Chennai, has been transferred and posted as SP/Commandant, Tamil Nadu Special Police VII Battalion, Pochampalli.
- S Ayyasamy, SP/Commandant, Tamil Nadu Special Police, Regimental Centre, Avadi, has been transferred and posted as S{/Commandant, Tamil Nadu Special Police XIII Battalion, Chennai.
- Dr. Deepa Sathyan, SP/Commandant, Tamil Nadu Special Police XIII Battalion, Chennai, has been transferred and posted as DCP, South, Tiruppur City.
- G Subulakshmi, DCP, Koyambedu, Greater Chennai Police, Chennai, has been transferred and posted as DCP, Administration, Greater Chennai Police, Chennai.
- K Adhiveerapandiyan, DCP, Administration, Greater Chennai Police, Chennai, has been transferred and posted as DCP, Koyambedu, Greater Chennai Police, Chennai.
- C Sangu, SP/Commandant, Tamil Nadu Special Police VII Battalion, Pochampalli, has been transferred and posted as DCP, Traffic, Avadi.
- I Shahnaz, Assistant SP, Orathanadu Sub-Division, Thanjavur District, has been promoted and transferred as SP-I Cyber Crimes Division, Cyber Crime Wing, Chennai.
- R Uthayakumar, Assistant SP, Sriperumbudur Sub-Division, Kancheepuram District, has been promoted and posted DCP, South Coimbatore City.
- NU Sivaraman, Assistant SP, Ramanathapuram Sub-Division, Ramanathapuram District.
- P Sibin, Assistant SP, Dindigul Town, Sub-Division, Dindigul District, has been promoted and posted as DCP, North Trichy City.
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