Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government has ordered a minor reshuffle of Indian Administrative Service officers.
Kerala Industries Principal Secretary A P M Mohammed Hanish, who has been investigating the controversial AI camera deal, was transferred twice in a span of 24 hours as part of a reshuffle exercise involving IAS officers holding key posts.
Hanish was transferred as the Principal Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management departments on Sunday in place of A Jayatilak, who is the new Excise Additional Chief secretary. A day later, he was shifted again as Principal Secretary of the Health Department.
Instead, outgoing Health Principal Secretary Tinku Biswal will take charge as Principal Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management departments.
According to sources, the replacement of Hanish with Tinku as Principal Secretary of the Revenue Department comes at the instance of Revenue Minister K Rajan.
Addl charge for VP Joy
The order regarding the transfer of IAS officers in the state is riddled with confusion and contradictions. For instance, it stated that Chief Secretary V P Joy has been given the additional charge of the Official Language Department. It is unprecedented for the Chief Secretary of a state, who serves as head of the state bureaucracy and secretary of the State Cabinet, to hold such additional charges.
While Tinku has been included in the official delegation to be led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, which is slated to visit Cuba from June 13 to 18 to discuss matters pertaining to the Health sector, he will now have to be replaced by Hanish. Or else, the Revenue Secretary will have to hold discussions on matters concerning the Health Department.