Dilip Cherian | Babu brought in from the cold to head Prasar Bharati

The appointment of retired IAS officer Navneet Kumar Sehgal as the chairperson of Prasar Bharati Board has all the signs of the complex and subtly adversarial interplay between the Centre and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The post had remained vacant for over four years since the superannuation of A. Surya Prakash.

Mr Sehgal, undoubtedly, brings a wealth of experience, having served in senior roles in Uttar Pradesh. Just before retiring in 2023, he was chief secretary in the department of sports and youth, but also known for his media management skills and his role in organising UP’s global investor summit and hosting the prestigious MotoGP in Noida.

But his career trajectory has been marked by remarkable comebacks after periods of being sidelined. Mr Sehgal was once considered one of UP’s most influential officers, an integral member of “Team 9”, a group of nine IAS officers closely associated with Yogi Adityanath.

However, after retiring it appears that Mr Sehgal was not given a significant position by the Uttar Pradesh government, suggesting that perhaps he had fallen out with Yogi. But observers suggest that Mr Sehgal, no longer in the Yogi’s inner circle, has now found favour with the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

From being the troubleshooter for the UP government, Mr Sehgal will now be called upon to contribute substantially to Mr Modi’s media management, especially amid a crucial national election.

Surprise reshuffle sparks speculation

Madhup Kumar Tiwari had barely settled into his role as special commissioner of police for law and order when he received a surprising transfer to Chandigarh as DGP in February. At the time, many speculated that his transfer was related to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, the recent reversal of his transfer orders, alongside those of D.C. Shrivastava, mere days before the announcement of the polls has left observers scratching their heads about the underlying reasons behind this abrupt reshuffle.

Surendra Kumar Yadav, who was reassigned from Delhi to assume the role of DGP in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has now been named the new DGP in Chandigarh.

Sources have informed DKB that Mr Tiwari, upon his transfer from Delhi to Chandigarh, reportedly protested, arguing that his recent assignment of overseeing law and order in Delhi should have precluded the need for relocation. Reportedly, his appeal was successful, allowing him to retain his significant position, a move, some say, could garner favour among the Poorvanchali community in Delhi ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

 There is some speculation that the reversal decision may be linked to the mishandling of the Chandigarh mayoral elections and the ensuing controversy surrounding Anil Masih’s role, which caused a lot of embarrassment to the central government.

Meanwhile, the incumbent DG of Arunachal Pradesh Devesh Srivastava, who was initially slated for a transfer to Delhi Police in an earlier notification, finds his Delhi posting is on hold, albeit temporarily.

While such sudden shifts are not infrequent, especially during poll season, these do create some unease among those in khaki.

Ashok Khemka’s long battle for justice

The recent Supreme Court verdict on Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka’s annual confidential report (ACR) has sparked the debate about how bureaucrats are evaluated and who should have the authority to do so. In overturning the Punjab and Haryana high court’s decision to uphold Mr Khemka’s higher grades, the apex court made a strong case for the specialised understanding needed to assess an IAS officer’s performance. It averred that this task should remain firmly within the executive branch’s domain.

Back in June 2017, the famed whistleblower received an overall grade of 8.22 from the state chief secretary, who was the reporting authority. Then, the state health minister, acting as the reviewing authority, bumped up Mr Khemka’s grade to 9.22. but matters took a turn when, in December 2017, the then chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, acting as the accepting authority, decided to lower Mr Khemka’s grade to 9.

Despite several representations to contest the decision, Mr Khemka first appealed to the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), pleading for the removal of adverse remarks and restoration of grades and remarks by the reviewing authority. But CAT dismissed his application. Refusing to give up, he then turned to the high court, which ruled in his favour and overturned the CAT’s decision.

But the legal rollercoaster didn’t end there. The Supreme Court chimed in, highlighting the unresolved status of Mr Khemka’s representation before the accepting authority, which is yet to decide on the matter. The apex court has directed the accepting authority to adjudicate Mr Khemka’s representation within the stipulated 60 days.

It is clear that the case of Ashok Khemka isn’t just about one officer, but about the broader challenges and complexities of administration and ensuring transparency and justice along the way.