In a move that surprised those tracking the succession to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo (IAS:1989:AGMUT), the Centre on Saturday (October 24, 2026) appointed senior IAS officer Dr Sajjan Singh Yadav (IAS:1995:AGMUT) as the next Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir. While Yadav is regarded as a very competent officer with the Centre’s confidence, his name had not featured prominently among those being discussed as probable successors to Dulloo.
Yadav will replace Dulloo, who is due to retire on October 31, 2026. He will take charge as Chief Secretary with effect from November 1, 2026, or from the date he joins, whichever is later.
According to an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Yadav has been transferred from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir with the approval of the competent authority.
“With the approval of the Competent Authority, Dr. Sajjan Singh Yadav, IAS (AGMUT:1995) is hereby transferred from Delhi to Jammu & Kashmir and posted as Chief Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir w.e.f. 01.11.2026 or from the date of joining, whichever is later,” the order stated.
Seniority List Adds to the Surprise
What made Yadav’s appointment particularly unexpected for those following the succession was the contrast between his position in the IAS gradation list and the names that had figured in the run-up to the announcement.
According to the gradation list, Yadav was placed at the 20th position, including outgoing Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo. The officers ranked ahead of him included three IAS officers of the 1991 batch, five of the 1992 batch, five of the 1993 batch, four of the 1994 batch and one officer of the 1995 batch. Many of these officers are currently holding important assignments, and the government may have taken their existing responsibilities into account while deciding on the next Chief Secretary.
Among those whose names figured in the speculation was 1992-batch IAS officer Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner in Jammu and Kashmir, who was widely considered a frontrunner for the post. Yadav, by contrast, had not featured prominently in discussions about possible successors, making his selection an unexpected development for those tracking the appointment.
The element of surprise, therefore, lay primarily in Yadav’s emergence as the Centre’s choice when his name had not been widely discussed in advance. His appointment also underscores that, while seniority is an important consideration, the government’s choice for a key administrative position may take into account a wider range of factors.
Yadav Returned to AGMUT Cadre in June 2026
Yadav is currently serving as Additional Chief Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Delhi Jal Board in the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
In June 2026, Yadav was repatriated to his parent AGMUT cadre at the request of the Ministry of Home Affairs while serving as Special Secretary in the Department of Expenditure under the Union government. Following his return, he was appointed CEO of the Delhi Jal Board and entrusted with additional responsibilities as Additional Chief Secretary in other departments.
His appointment as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary now places him at the head of the Union Territory’s administration, succeeding Dulloo at the end of the latter’s tenure.
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