Kerala government is on look out for a new Chief Secretary as the current incumbent, Sarada Muraleedharan (IAS:1990:KL), is set to retire on April 30. The government has started the process of identifying the most eligible candidate for the top bureaucratic post in the state. The new Chief Secretary will begin his tenure on May 1.
Manoj Joshi (IAS:1989:KL) and A Jayathilak (IAS:1991:KL), are the top contenders for the post. While Joshi is currently on central deputation, Jayathilak is Additional Chief Secretary, Finance. Joshi is now the senior most IAS officer currently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development. If he is chosen as the new CS, he will get a two-year tenure as he is to retire only in January 2027.
Manoj Joshi’s reportedly meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recently strengthened his contention for the top slot. He has been senior to both former Chief Secretary V Venu and his successor Sarada Muraleedharan, both from the 1990 batch. The only hitch is that he had declined twice to become the CS earlier.
Besides Jayathilak, five other officers hold the rank of Additional Chief Secretary in the state: Bishwanath Sinha (IAS:1992:KL), K R Jyothilal (IAS:1993:KL), Puneet Kumar (IAS:1993:KL), Davendra Kumar Dhodawat (IAS:1993:KL), and Rajan N Khobragde (IAS:1993:KL). Among them, Jayathilak is the senior-most.
