Dilip Cherian | Some officers in Punjab in limbo, others have too many portfolios

Several IAS officers in Punjab find themselves in a state of limbo, awaiting postings for the past couple of weeks, as the Bhagwant Mann government is yet to assign them any administrative responsibilities. They include Nilkanth Avhad, Ajit Balaji Joshi and Neelima.

Sources informed DKB that Mr Avhad was secretary of the public works department but was replaced by Priyank Bharti in August last year and has been without a posting since then. Ms Neelima faced charges by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in an alleged corruption case in January last year. Although she secured bail and returned to work, she too remains without a posting. Meanwhile, Mr Joshi is a Haryana cadre IAS officer who switched to Punjab and reported to the state two months ago. He is still awaiting his new assignment.

Even as these officers wait for assignments, others are burdened with excessive workloads. K.A.P. Sinha is managing the roles of financial commissioner (revenue) and financial commissioner (development), typically designated for two separate officers. Tejveer Singh looks after power, industries, rural development and panchayats, while Gurkirat Kirpal Singh is the administrative secretary for three crucial departments, home, food and civil supplies and mining.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s commitment to addressing this issue is crucial for a balanced and effective administration. With his government already facing considerable heat from disaffected farmers and other sections, removing inefficiencies in the administration swiftly can rescue the situation.

Law and order reset: IPS officers reshuffle in Delhi

Just days before Republic Day celebrations, the unexpected large-scale transfers of senior IPS officers within the Delhi Police surprised many. Typically, major transfers of such scale are done after important occasions. While some observers diligently probe the motives behind this strategic move, others interpret it as a response to recently emerging threats, notably the parliament security breach and the second consecutive attack outside the Israel embassy.

The directive for these changes came from Delhi lieutenant governor V.K. Saxena, resulting in the transfer of 27 officers including 25 IPS officers and two DANIPS officers. Law and order divisions such as crime, traffic, special cell and security, are now being overseen by new special CPs. The national capital gets a new chief for the Anti-Terrorist Squad. Rajendra Pal Upadhaya, an IPS officer from the 1991 batch, has taken charge of the Delhi police special cell. Dependra Pathak, who formally served as the special CP for law and order, will now lead the security wing. Additionally, Ravinder Yadav (IPS 1995 batch) and Madhup Tiwari have been appointed to head Zone 1 and Zone 2 law and order, respectively. Shalini Singh (IPS 1996 batch) now leads the Delhi police crime branch, which is the nodal agency for interstate coordination. Sagar Preet Hooda who was in the position of special CP, law and order has been transferred to PCR and communications.

The true impact of the move may only unfold with time, but its scale and timing undoubtedly speak to a deliberate and comprehensive approach to maintaining law and order in the national capital.

Fading footprint? Gujarat officers’ waning influence

Contrary to common perception, the influence of Gujarat cadre officers at the Centre is waning. Until just three years ago, officers from the state held coveted positions of secretaries in the ministries of defence, education and commerce. They also occupied roles at the additional secretary and joint secretary levels within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), as well as the key ministries of finance and home affairs, and the appointments committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

In 2024, Gujarat officers have become conspicuously scarce within the Central government. Currently, only one secretary from the Gujarat cadre, Srinivas Kaikithala, holds the position of secretary for minority affairs. At the additional secretary level, only two Gujarat cadre officers remain — D. Thara, in the ministry of housing and urban affairs, and T. Natarajan, in the department of defence production within the defence ministry.

Notably, even within the mighty PMO, the Gujarat connection seems to be waning. P.K. Misra remains powerful as the principal secretary to the PM, but there is a noticeable absence of Gujarat cadre officers among advisors, additional secretaries and joint secretaries. But there are also exceptions, as Hardik Shah, the private secretary to the PM, and S.R. Bhavsar, an Officer on Special Duty (OSD), are still in the PMO. These babus started their careers in the Gujarat state service and were later promoted to the IAS after Mr Narendra Modi became Prime Minister.

However, some observers believe that the shift is logical. Given that these officers have spent a decade in Delhi and away from Gujarat, the connection has naturally weakened over time.