Kerala’s major IAS reshuffle has triggered a political confrontation, with CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan alleging that the Congress-led United Democratic Front government moved senior bureaucrats to departments where corruption could take place. The government ordered the reshuffle on Monday, changing the leadership of key departments including Home, Finance, Health, Power and Industries.
Govindan alleged that the government was moving “senior bureaucrats, who are their favourites, to sectors where corruption is possible”. The allegation was reported without any accompanying finding in the supplied material establishing that the transfers were intended to facilitate corruption.
The reshuffle places K R Jyothilal, a 1993-batch IAS officer and Additional Chief Secretary in the Finance Department, in charge of the Home and Vigilance departments. He will also hold additional charge of Water Resources, Housing and Coir.
Minhaj Alam, a 1996-batch officer who was heading the Home and Vigilance departments, has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary in the Finance Department. His additional responsibilities will include the Taxes Department, the Public Procurement Advisory Department and the Chief Executive Officer’s post at the Rebuild Kerala Initiative. He will also serve as Chairman of the Kerala Financial Corporation.
The changes extend to the state’s electricity and local-government administration. Prasanth N, a 2007-batch officer, has been appointed Chairman and Managing Director of the Kerala State Electricity Board, replacing M G Rajamanickam, a 2008-batch officer. Rajamanickam has been transferred as Secretary of the Local Self Government Department.
The appointments will affect departments responsible for electricity supply, water resources, housing, public procurement, taxation, reconstruction and local administration. The concentration of additional charges across several portfolios also means that individual officers will oversee multiple areas of state administration at the same time.
Dr Sharmila Mary Joseph, a 1997-batch officer serving as Principal Secretary in the Health and Family Welfare Department, has been transferred to the Transport Department. The report said her transfer followed reported differences with Health Minister K Muraleedharan on various issues. It did not provide details of the differences or any official explanation linking them to the transfer.
The reshuffle comes as the CPI(M), which is in opposition in Kerala, has questioned the government’s motives. The immediate administrative effect will be the transfer of responsibility for key departments and public-sector institutions, including the Kerala State Electricity Board and the Kerala Financial Corporation. The government’s formal orders, and any response to Govindan’s allegation, will determine how the administration explains the changes.
