In a highly controversial move, the Left govt in Kerala left its mark on bureaucracy while exiting from power by promoting controversial IPS officer Gugulloth Lakshman (IPS:1997:KL) to the post of Additional DGP with retroactive effect from January 1, 2022. The promotion was granted by overruling the objections raised by a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary.
Outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reportedly ordered the promotion be granted to Lakshman by overruling the objections of the recommending committee.
What added twist to the promotion tale is the fact that Lakshman was issued a ‘final’ promotion letter after CM Vijayan had submitted his own resignation following defeat in the Assembly election.
The credentials of this IPS officer have been controversial, as he had earlier been chargesheeted for misusing police powers to allegedly help fraudster Monson Mavunkal in his fake antique business.
Lakshman was suspended in November 2021 but reinstated in February 2023 as IG, only to be suspended again a few months later following his arrest.
Under service rules, an IPS officer facing trial in court is generally not eligible for promotion.
Further, the committee, which had raised objection to Lakshman’s promotion, included the Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretaries of the Local Self-Government, Home, and General Administration departments.
As per the rules, the CM does not have the authority to overrule the committee’s recommendation and directly order a promotion.
After the CM Vijayan’s direction, the General Administration Department (GAD) issued an order promoting Lakshman on Monday, the day the election results were announced.
Later, on Wednesday, after the Chief Minister submitted his resignation to the Governor, the department revised the order and granted the promotion with retroactive effect from January 1, 2022. To cap it, the revised order was issued by G.R. Rajesh, Additional Secretary in the GAD, instead of the Chief Secretary.
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