In the power galleries the discussion has started about the postings of new Secretaries in  the GoI. Sources said that though 16 , 1995 batch IAS officers are empanelled but there are chances that only 3-4 IAS would get the chance and posted as Secretary.

The Parliament is poised to debate the landmark Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, in the current session, ushering in the first comprehensive legal framework for the country’s five major paramilitary forces—CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.

Drafted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the legislation codifies recruitment rules, service conditions, disciplinary procedures and operational autonomy for over 10 lakh personnel, ending decades of reliance on ad-hoc executive orders.

The Bill directly implements a May 2025 Supreme Court directive that ordered the “progressive reduction” of Indian Police Service (IPS) deputation in CAPFs up to Inspector-General rank over the next two years. Once enacted, the measure is expected to create hundreds of senior posts for cadre officers, reshape promotion avenues and reduce the dominance of IPS officers in leadership roles across the forces.

Officials describe the reform as a long-overdue step towards greater institutional autonomy while maintaining operational synergy with state police. The Bill is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha next week.

A major structural change announced by the Centre is reshaping IAS, IPS, and IFoS allocations nationwide, including southern states. The five-zone system has been replaced with four new groupings: (1) North (J&K, Himachal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand); (2) East (UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh); (3) West & Central (MP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa); and (4) South & North-East (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, plus North-Eastern states). This aims to balance cadre preferences and address vacancies. Southern states (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha) now fall under Groups 2 and 4, potentially leading to increased inter-state deputations. This policy takes full effect from the 2026 UPSC batch onward.

Details emerged about new UPSC rules effective 2026 states that there will be no reattempts given for IAS/IFS, and only one improvement attempt will be there for IPS/Group A services. This is predicted to boost fresh talent influx into southern cadres (e.g., more young officers in Karnataka’s tech-driven districts). Speculations are rife that this could lead to “reshuffle waves” in Telangana by mid-2026 to accommodate newcomers.

Whispers suggest a new round of PSB consolidations in 2026, potentially reducing the 12 PSBs to 4-6 global-scale banks (e.g., led by SBI, PNB, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank). This includes merging smaller ones like Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Central Bank of India, and Bank of Maharashtra. The government aims for “world-class” banks to support Viksit Bharat by 2047, with discussions involving RBI and PSBs. Speculation intensified around Budget 2026, with predictions of multi-phase mergers starting FY26-27. This could drive stock rallies but faces union opposition.

Whispers in the region highlight southern states’ (Tamil Nadu’s manufacturing, Kerala’s remittances, Karnataka’s tech) disproportionate tax contributions vs. returns. Speculations are rife that this could lead to IAS-led policy lobbies for better fund devolution, with new projects like Tamil Nadu’s Global Tourism Summit 2026. Odisha has focussed on Green energy deputations for IFoS officers.

Anupam Misra, Director (Marketing), The Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Limited, has been selected for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Hindustan Copper Limited at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on March 12, 2026. As many as five candidates were interviewed for the same.

Ms Lovely Katiyar, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has been given premature repatriation to her parent cadre.

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) is holding interviews for the post of Director (Finance), GAIL (India) India Limited on March 17, 2026.

No empanelment of 2001 batch IAS officer for holding either Additional Secretary or Additional Secretary equivalent posts in the Government of India from Tripura cadre.

Manish Raj Gupta, Director (Technical, Projects & Raw Materials), is in the race for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) falling vacant on April 3, 2026.

 Senior IPS officer S Dev Dutta Singh (1998-batch, Odisha cadre), serving as Twin City Police Commissioner (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate since September 29, 2024), is proceeding on central deputation. Singh has been empanelled by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for holding the rank of Additional Director General (ADG) or equivalent at the Centre.

Ananjay Kumar Tiwary, Director in the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, has been given premature repatriation to his parent cadre on personal grounds. He is a 2012 batch IRS-IT officer.

The Supreme Court has directed governments and public institutions to dissociate Michel Danino and two others who were part of the NECRT drafting committee- Diwakar and Alok Prasanna Kumar, following a controversy about a chapter on judicial corruption in a now-withdrawn NCERT textbook. According to sources, Michel Danino is a Padma awardee and is a guest Professor at IIT-Gandhinagar. It is said that after the controversy the IIT, Gandhinagar reportedly decided to review his role.

Defence Acquisition Council approved 60 DRDO Ghatak stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) for deep-strike roles (₹20,000+ crore, powered potentially by Kaveri engine derivatives) and 60 Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) to replace An-32 fleet—12 flyaway, 48 made-in-India. This ₹1 lakh crore push targets airlift gaps by 2030; predictions include tech transfer from Embraer or Lockheed, with IAF squadrons operational by 2029.

The Southern Railway’s Madurai Division approved a Fixed Time Corridor Block for March 2026, leading to temporary changes in train service patterns to facilitate maintenance and upgrades. This includes adjustments to timetables on select routes to minimise disruptions while enhancing track reliability.

NEP 2020 and Budget 2026 allocations are predicted to elevate PhD hiring in IITs for industry R&D, with corporates targeting 40% new roles for fresh PhDs by FY 2026–27. Anurag Thakur’s February 25 session forecasted India as a “global R&D hub” via IKS integration and ANRF funding up to TRL-4.

75% of institutions lag in industry alignment, per January reports, but March initiatives predict a shift toward IKS for cultural sustainability (e.g., Nagaland University’s ethnic culinary research). Whispers suggest more IIT-ICAR MoUs for agri-tech by mid-2026.

The Delhi High Court stayed the retirement of a Naib Subedar (Army personnel) pending verification of a “failed” firing test via mobile tower data, highlighting procedural lapses in postings and retirements linked to service evaluations.

The Uttar Pradesh government approved amendments to the UP Higher Judicial Service Rules, reducing the promotion quota for Civil Judges (Senior Division) from 65% to 50%, aligning with a Supreme Court directive to enhance direct recruitment and merit-based upgradation.

Two judges from the Delhi High Court were appointed as Judges of the Supreme Court of India, impacting appellate jurisdiction and the constitutional promotion hierarchy. This strengthens the apex court’s bench composition.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a project to strengthen women’s leadership in the Indian judiciary, including training and mentorship programs for High Courts and tribunals. A parallel event was held at the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

  CJI Surya Kant, speaking at the India Women in Leadership (IWIL) National Conference advocated for institutional reforms to increase women representation in the judiciary. He urged High Court collegiums to consider women advocates practicing in the Supreme Court for elevation to High Court judgeships, proposing an expanded candidate pool from specific states. He noted, “If the pipeline is narrow at the source, the bench cannot later be broad,” highlighting a trend toward gender diversity amid low female judge ratios (around 13% in High Courts). Speculations are rife that this could lead to targeted appointments in the upcoming collegium meetings, with predictions of 20-30% increase in women elevations by mid-2026. Trending on legal circles for addressing systemic biases.

Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) issued a notification on the fixation of year of allotment/seniority for promotee IAS officers of the Telangana cadre. This is an administrative exercise and does not involve new postings or transfers.

Arman Singh Patel, who is presently on deputation to Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) as Deputy General Manager (DGM)/Civil/Delhi, has been selected for deputation as Joint General Manager (Civil) at Delhi in RLDA for a period of three years (overall tenure to be counted from the initial date of deputation to RLDA). He is an Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) officer.

Ms Ruheena Tufail Khan, who is presently posted as Deputy Chief Personnel Officer (Dy. CPO), South East Central Railway (SECR), has been selected for deputation to Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) as Manager (HRD) at New Delhi for a period of five years. She is an Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer.

Ms. Sucharita Das, who is presently posted as Chairman/Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC), Eastern Railway (ER), has been selected for deputation to Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) as Manager (HRMS) at New Delhi for a period of five years. She is an Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer.

JCS Bora, who is presently posted as Principal Chief Safety Officer (PCSO), North Central Railway (NCR), has been posted as Principal Chief Electrical Engineer (PCEE), on the Railway itself. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Yatendra Kumar, who is presently posted as Principal Chief Electrical Engineer (PCEE), North Central Railway (NCR), has been posted as Principal Chief Safety Officer (PCSO), on the Railway itself. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Anuj Katiyar, who is presently posted in North Central Railway (NCR), has been transferred and posted in Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, in the same capacity. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Hitesh Srivastava, currently on deputation to Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (UPMRCL), has been recalled from deputation and posted in Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, in the same capacity. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Dharmendra Kumar Yadav, who is presently posted in North Eastern Railway (NER), has been transferred and posted in Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, in the same capacity. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

IC Subhas, who is presently posted in North Eastern Railway (NER), has been transferred and posted in Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, in the same capacity. He is an Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) officer.

Vivek Goldsmith, who is presently posted in North Western Railway (NWR), has been transferred and posted in Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, in the same capacity. He is an Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) officer.

Pradeep Kumar, who is presently posted in North Eastern Railway (NER), has been transferred and posted in Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, in the same capacity. He is an Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) officer.

Mayank Kumar Gupta, who is presently posted in North Western Railway (NWR), has been transferred and posted in Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, in the same capacity. He is an Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) officer.

Aman Yadav, who is presently posted in Eastern Railway (ER), has been transferred and posted in Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, in the same capacity. He is an Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) officer.

IAS officers have been reshuffled in Odisha. Manish Agarwal has been appointed as Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Odisha, while Smruti Ranjan Pradhan joins as MD, Odisha Small Industries Corporation and will continue to hold additional charge as CEO, Startup Odisha. Similarly, Siddhartha Das is posted as Director, Fisheries; Ms Madhusmita Sahoo as Director, Teachers’ Education and State Council of Educational Research and Training (TE and SCERT) and will also continue to serve as Additional Secretary, School and Mass Education Department; Mrs Upama Kalo, Additional Commissioner, Settlement and Consolidation, Office of Revenue Divisional Commissioner at Sambalpur, will remain in additional charge as Secretary, RDC (Northern Division); Mrs Lily Kumari Kullu will joins as Additional Secretary, Public Enterprises Department; Somesh Kumar Upadhyay as Director, Textiles and Handlooms; Prathamesh Arvind Rajeshirke as Collector and District Magistrate, Malkangiri; Akavaram Sasya Reddy as Commissioner, Berhampur Municipal Corporation and she will hold additional charge of Vice Chairman, Berhampur Development Authority; Akshay Pillay as Additional District Magistrate, Paradeep, Jagatsinghpur District; Ms Arugula Sneha as Chief Development Officer-cum-Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Mayurbhanj; Samir Kumar Jena as CDO-cum-EO, Zilla Parishad, Ganjam and Soumyaranjan Pradhan is posted as CDO-cum-EO, Zilla Parishad, Kalahandi.

N Gopalaratnam has been re-appointed as Whole-time Director, designated as Chairman of Seshasayee Paper and Boards Limited.

Anurag Mishra, IFS, has been appointed as Nominee Director on the Board of Seshasayee Paper and Boards Limited.

Shalin Harshadbhai Patel has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive Independent) of Deep Industries Limited.

Vinit Rameshchandra Mundra has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive Independent) of Dolphin Offshore Enterprises (India) Limited.

Ms Sungandha Narayan Jagtap has been appointed as Additional Independent Woman Director of Amit International Limited.

Satish Heda has resigned from the position of Independent Director of Shiva Granito Export Limited.

You are Nostradamus

You are Nostradamus

Monty Gallagher

Allegation that the South Eastern Coalfields Ltd did not allow him to appear in the first appeal

The appellant sought certified copy of compassionate appointment order, entire application process etc. of a third-party and the same was denied under section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. The respondent submitted that the appellant was informed of the first appeal hearing scheduled on 25.04.2024 vide letter dated 16.04.2024 but, he did not come for the hearing and has wrongly alleged in the instant second appeal that they did not allow him to appear in first appeal. The CIC observed that the respondent gave an appropriate reply to the appellant and dismissed the appeal holding that no further intervention is required.

Comments

To make the RTI Act effective, both the appellant and the respondent should maintain transparency in their conduct.

Citation: D. K. Soni v. South Eastern Coalfields Limited, Second Appeal No. CIC/SECFL/A/2024/117153; Date of Decision:05.12.2025.

Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Vishakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books PIO’s Guide to RTI and Right to Information – Law and Practice. Her weekly article is being published since 2008 on this site. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and third party audit to individuals / organisations. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation at the link https://www.rtifoundationofindia.com

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