If sources are to be believed, the  CEC Gyanesh Kumar is going  to appear before the One Nation One Election  Panel on Jan 4. For the first time any constitutional head is appearing before any parliament panel.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant who was given a six-month extension, is set to complete his term on 31st December 2025.He is a 1991 batch IAS officer.All eyes now on who moves next.

Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Vijay Nehra is going to  be Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross. He is 2001 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre.

The appointment of the new Chief secretary has brewed a new debate in Maharashtra on whether whose man is appointed between Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.While the debate goes on, many insiders claim that he is, in fact the Centre’s Choice.What are your thoughts on this?

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma demonstrates clear trust in his handpicked bureaucrats over cabinet ministers for executing high-stakes schemes ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. This preference stems from bureaucrats’ administrative efficiency, loyalty, and direct accountability, contrasting with ministers’ political distractions and occasional underperformance. Sarma’s model bypasses cabinet layers, routing scheme implementation through trusted IAS officers who deliver measurable results under tight timelines.

At the core, Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota (IAS, 1993 batch) coordinates statewide execution as the administrative nerve center, leveraging his fiscal expertise from GST rollout and Finance Commission roles. Principal Secretary Dr. Krishna Kumar Dwivedi interfaces directly with Sarma, managing Power and Assam Bhawan portfolios for seamless central-state coordination. Secretary Ghanshyam Das (IAS, 2012 batch) handles day-to-day policy advisory, ensuring rapid scheme rollout like welfare and infrastructure projects.

Finance’s Jayant Narlikar and Dilip Kumar Borah control budgets, prioritizing election-year deliverables such as Orunodoi and health missions. Home Secretary Riju Gogoi enforces via the CM’s Special Vigilance Cell, targeting corruption to maintain clean implementation. Recent reshuffles of 18 IAS officers underscore this trust, positioning loyalists like L. Sweety Changsan (Revenue) and Gyanendra Dev Tripathi (Transport) for visible voter-facing schemes.

This bureaucratic reliance minimizes political risks, with Sarma personally monitoring via reviews, ensuring schemes like flood relief and job programs hit targets before polls—proving administrators outpace elected colleagues in crunch time.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s indication that the Supreme Court may reconsider the 2015 verdict striking down the National Judicial Appointments Commission marks a potentially transformative moment for India’s judicial system. The NJAC, introduced by a constitutional amendment, sought to give the executive a role in appointing judges, but was invalidated for undermining judicial independence. For nearly a decade since, the Collegium system—where judges appoint judges—has governed appointments to higher courts, despite recurring criticism over opacity and lack of accountability. The Court’s willingness to revisit its earlier ruling suggests a renewed openness to balancing transparency and autonomy in judicial selection. If the 2015 judgment is reopened, it could spark one of the most consequential constitutional debates in recent years, potentially redefining the power equation between the judiciary and the executive in shaping India’s constitutional courts.

2035 nominations have been received for the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration, a statement issued by the Personnel Ministry said.The awards will consist of a trophy, a scroll and an incentive of Rs 20 lakh to the awarded district/organisation to be utilised for the implementation of a project/programme or bridging resource gaps in any area of public welfare. The awards are scheduled to be conferred by the prime minister on April 21, 2026, on the occasion of Civil Services Day. The Centre has approved a scheme for the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration, 2025. The awards have been designed to acknowledge, recognise and reward exemplary work done by civil servants across the country.A portal for registration and submission of nominations was launched on October 1 this year. It was made operational till November 30, 2025.

Retired Justice Rabindranath Samanta has been appointed the new Lokayukta of West Bengal .

Ravi K, Director (Operations), appears to be only internal candidate for the post of Chairman & Managing Director, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has now shifted to Kartavya Bhawan 1 from December 1.

DD News, a public broadcaster, is there to give balanced news but for the last few months the broadcaster seems to be after the PM. They are giving about 90 per cent news related to PM Modi and others get very little space. Even several Union Ministers are not getting due space either in bulletins or in websites. Experts appreciated the AIR News and opined that the AIR news  is far better and balanced.They also said the one sided publicity harms the image of the person as well as the organisation.

Experts predict a 15–20% capex boost in Budget 2026 could accelerate Group ‘B’ promotions and new recruitments (e.g., via RRB NTPC results expected soon). HRMS data suggests 2.94 lakh vacancies filled since 2020, with 2026 focusing on safety/tech roles amid electrification push.

COAS Gen Upendra Dwivedi outlined a three-phase transformation plan to 2047: Phase 1 (to 2032) for accelerated transition; Phase 2 (to 2037) for consolidation; Phase 3 (to 2047) for “future-ready” force design. Key “springboards”: (1) Atmanirbharta (self-reliance via indigenisation, e.g., defence manufacturing surge); (2) Anusandhan (accelerated innovations in AI, cyber, quantum via IDEX/ADITI); (3) Anukulan (ecosystem adaptation); (4) Ekikaran (military-civil fusion with academia/industry). He predicted “enterprise-scale impact” in autonomous systems by 2030, citing Operation Sindoor’s success in multi-domain ops. Whispers suggest this could lead to 10-15% faster promotion tracks for tech-savvy officers.

The DoT has transferred two SAG level ITS officers. Accordingly, Avinash Agrawal will join BSNL while Mukesh Kumar 1 has been posted as DDG(IR) at DoT HQ

The CBIC has granted NFSG to two IRS(C&IT officers. Rajiv Kumar Singh, 2001 batch, will get NFSG from January 1, 2022 while Sudarshan Meena, 2011 batch, has been awarded w e f January 1, 2025.

Prashant Dubey has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs. He is a 2012 batch IDAS officer.

Air Marshal Yalla Umesh has taken over the charge of Maintenance Command of the Indian Air Force as Air Officer Commanding in Chief. Commissioned into the Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical) Branch, he has held diverse engineering and leadership appointments across major combat, transport and specialist fleets of the IAF.

Eight IAS officers have been given new responsibilities in Bihar. C K Anil has been appointed as Principal Secretary, Revenue and Land Reforms, while Deepak Kumar Singh will now serve as Director General and Chief Investigation Commissioner, General Administration Department. Similarly, Mihir Kumar Singh takes over as Development Commissioner, Bihar; Kundan Kumar as Secretary, Industries; B Kartikeya Dhanji, Secretary, Minor Water Resources, has been relieved of the additional charge of Secretary, Industries; Sanjay Kumar Singh, Secretary, Commercial Tax Department, will also hold charge of Officer on Special Duty, Home Department; Kaushal Kishore, Divisional Commissioner, Darbhanga Division, has been given additional charge of Divisional Commissioner, Tirhut Division and Raj Kumar has been posted as Secretary, Transport Department.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued a Gazette notification inducting two non-State Civil Service (non-SCS) officers—Sundara Madhaba Padhi and Smita Pani—into the IAS under the Select List 2024, allocating them to the Odisha cadre. This is a promotion from state services to the All India Service, effective immediately, and reflects ongoing efforts to bolster senior administrative ranks amid cadre vacancies. No IFoS or IPS equivalents were noted.

Central Silk Board (CSB) under Ministry of Textiles, Government of India has invited applications for filling up the post of Deputy Director (Statistics), Bengaluru on deputation basis. Details can be availed from the Ministry’s website.

Two ITS Group A officers have been transferred and given new postings. These officers and their new postings are Avinash Agarwal (BSNL) and Mukesh Kumar (DDG (IR), DoT HQs.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Limited has invited applications from  IRSE/ Ex-IRSE Officers, working in/ retired from the Indian Railways/ Govt. Organisation/ PSUs for the post of General Manager (Civil). Applications must reach latest by December 19, 2025.

Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) is seeking applications for the posts of Manager/Assistant Manager (Law). Applications must reach latest by December 26, 2025.

IFS Gajendra Prakash Narwane has been given premature repatriation to parent cadre Maharashtra. He is a 2008  officer and currently posted as Additional Professor, IGNFA, Dehradun under CSS-MoEF&CC.

Last date to apply for Scientists post in Anusandhan National Research Foundation has been extended. The revised date for candidates in remote areas is January 28, 2026 while for others is January 14.

Last date to apply for Ceasefire Monitor (Police) in United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has been extended. Individual Police Officers in active service may now apply latest by December 10, 2025.

Department of Higher Education has advertised for the post of Director, Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, Agra on deputation basis. Details can be availed from the ministry’s website https://www.education.gov.in/.

Amarendra Kumar Singh, who is presently serving as Chief Electrical Engineer (Construction), Ahmedabad (CEE/C/ADI), Western Railway, has been selected for deputation to National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) as Chief Project Manager (Electrical) at Ahmedabad for a period of five years. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Dalip Kumar, who is presently serving as Assistant Materials Manager (Signals)/Construction/HQ, Northern Railway (NR), has been selected for deputation to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) as Senior Deputy General Manager (Vigilance) at Corporate Office, New Delhi, for a period of three years. He is an Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS) officer.

 

Ms Richa Khare, who is presently serving as Principal Financial Adviser (PFA), Western Railway (WR), has been entrusted with the additional charge of Director (Finance), Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Limited (MRVC). She is an Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer.

Four IPS officers have been given new assignments in Haryana. Ajay Singhal has been given the responsibility of DGP, State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, while Alok Mittal has been made Managing Director, Haryana Police Housing Corporation and will also hold the additional charge of Resident Commissioner, Haryana and Navdeep Singh Virk was appointed as ADGP, Haryana State Enforcement Bureau and Director, Vigilance & Security. Besides, Kala Ramachandran will join as ADGP, Human Rights and Litigation.

Sibash Kabiraj has been promoted to the grade of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) in Haryana. He is a 1999 batch IPS officer of Haryana cadre.

Dr Rajshree Singh has been promoted to the grade of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) in Haryana. He is a 1999 batch IPS officer of Haryana cadre.

Group Captain (Dr) Ranganathan Kannan, PhD, took charge as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ministry of Defence at Nagpur. He succeeds Group Captain Ratnakar Singh. Commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 1995, Group Captain (Dr) Ranganathan Kannan, PhD, has 30 years of service as an Administrative Officer.

Lakshmi Narayanan R has been appointed as Additional CIT (OSD) in the office of Pr CCIT,(International Taxation), Delhi on return from foreign deputation. He is an IRS-IT officer.

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Mumbai, a premier management institute ranked 6th in NIRF, has launched the Post Graduate Diploma in Public Policy Management (PGDPPM) in collaboration with TalentSprint, part of Accenture, a leading global education company powered by AI. This 45-credit, one-year diploma combines IIM Mumbai’s academic excellence and world-class faculty with the latest digital learning innovations to deliver a future-ready programme designed for mid-career professionals. The curriculum blends academic rigour, practical exposure, and global best practices to develop leaders in public policy and governance. In today’s dynamic world, sustainable growth and social well-being hinge on effective public policy. As digital transformation, environmental challenges, and regulatory shifts accelerate, there is a growing need for professionals who can design credible, inclusive, and forward-looking policy frameworks. To address this, IIM Mumbai has developed a comprehensive programme focused on policy formulation, implementation, and leadership. With its strong emphasis on sustainability, technology, and responsible management, the PGDPPM offers a robust platform for professionals seeking to drive meaningful change in society. Commenting on the launch, Spokesperson of IIM Mumbai said, “The PG Diploma in Public Policy Management equips professionals to tackle modern policy challenges with confidence. Through simulations, projects, and peer learning, participants build skills in leadership, crisis management, and innovation—preparing them for senior roles across government, business, and the social sector.” The one-year blended programme features live online sessions led by IIM Mumbai faculty, case studies, policy simulations, and a capstone project. Sessions by former IAS officers and policy practitioners offer real-world insights into pressing issues across sustainability, digital transformation, and public health. With elective specializations and 20 days of immersive on-campus learning at IIM Mumbai, participants bridge theory and practice through interactive, face-to-face sessions. Upon successful completion, participants will earn academic credits, an industry-recognized Post Graduate Diploma, and gain IIM Mumbai alumni status. The applications are now open for the programme starting in February 2026. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks (or equivalent CGPA) and have a minimum of 5 years of work experience. Admission will be based on performance in the IIM Mumbai Admission Test (IMAT) or a valid CAT, GMAT, or GRE score obtained within the past five years, followed by a personal interview. For more information, visit: https://pgp.iimmumbai.ac.in/course/public-policy-management.

NMDC, India’s largest iron ore producer, reported a robust operational performance for November 2025 and for the fiscal year to date, posting the highest ever production and sales figures for both the month and the April–November period since inception. The strong numbers reflect continued volume momentum, operational discipline, and supply chain stability for FY 2025–26. For the month ended November 2025, NMDC delivered its best-ever monthly performance for any November on record, with production rising to 5.01 million tonnes, up 11% year-on-year from 4.51 million tonnes in November 2024, and sales reaching 4.17 million tonnes, up 4% from 4.0 million tonnes last year. Production also exceeded the monthly target by 1%, reflecting efficient utilisation of mining capacity and improved operational rhythm across the company’s assets. NMDC maintained strong momentum in FY26, posting record April–November output with production rising to 31.48 million tonnes, up 21% from 26.06 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year, while sales reached 30.28 million tonnes, up by 9% from 27.84million tonnes during the same period in FY25. Commenting on the performance, Amitava Mukherjee, CMD, NMDC, said: “NMDC’s performance for November and year-to-date reflects steady operational discipline and strong execution. By improving efficiency and ensuring a reliable supply of high-quality iron ore, we continue to support India’s steel sector while delivering consistent value to our stakeholders.” Additionally, all three of NMDC’s production units have collectively delivered record output. As a Navratna CPSE under the Ministry of Steel, NMDC maintains a strong strategic outlook, supported by stable domestic demand and ongoing initiatives to strengthen mining productivity and cost competitiveness.

Two Senior Accounts Officers (Sr AAOs): Ms Ponmala Selvin and V S Negi have been promoted to Junior Time Scale (JTS) of Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) as Assistant Controller of Accounts. Following promotion, Ms Selvin has been shifted to the Ministry of Earth Sciences, New Delhi and Negi is posted with the Office of CGA, Delhi.

Dinesh Garg has been appointed as Company Secretary, REC Limited after the cessation of incumbent J S Amitabh.

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the name of Justice Arvind Kumar Verma, Additional Judge, Chhattisgarh High Court, for appointment as a Permanent Judge of that High Court.

Rajat Bansal has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive Non-Independent) of Tulsi Extrusions Limited.

Varun Mangla has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive Independent) of Tulsi Extrusions Limited.

Dilipkumar Gajanand Nikhare has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Promoter, Non-Executive Independent) of Khyati Multimedia Entertainment Limited.

Mathew Thomas has been appointed as Independent Director of Tamil Nadu Newsprint & Papers Limited.

Rajendra Chitale has been appointed as Independent Director of Apollo Tyres Limited, effective February 9, 2026.

Tapan Mitra has been appointed as Independent Director of Apollo Tyres Limited, effective February 9, 2026.

Kiran Nanoo Desai has been re-appointed as Independent Director of Diana Tea Company Limited.

Vaishnavi Nalabala has been appointed as Additional Director (Independent) of Viceroy Hotels Limited.

Focus on Delivery 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need for "delivery, not drama" in Parliament, urging lawmakers to focus on policy-making and nation-building rather than sloganeering. He stressed that the Winter Session should prioritize discussions on key issues affecting the country, rather than becoming a platform for political point-scoring.

Modi also took a dig at the Opposition, saying they should move beyond their recent electoral defeat and contribute meaningfully to parliamentary debates. He highlighted India's growing global stature, citing the country's economic resilience and democratic strength

Kriti Garg

Can penal action be initiated against the PIO who has retired?

The appellant sought a certified copy of the initial map related to a particular building which was donated to Jhansi Cantonment Board for construction purposes. The appellant also sought a certified copy of the General Land Register, total property tax assessed and other related information. As no response was received within the prescribed time period, the appellant filed the first appeal and later the second appeal before the CIC. According to the arguments presented by the respondent, the current PIO, who was responsible for disposing of the submitted RTI application has retired, and no show cause notice proceedings can be initiated under Section 20 of the RTI Act against a retired PIO. The CIC directed the current PIO, Cantonment Board, Jhansi, to ensure timely and proper disposal of pending RTI applications in accordance with the law, failing which appropriate action shall be taken against them in the future under the provisions of the Act. Further, the CIC directed the PIO, Cantonment Board, Jhansi, to examine the information sought by the appellant through the submitted RTI application and, based on the available records, provide the requested information/response to the appellant in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

Comments

A coordinate bench of the CIC in Appeal Nos. CIC/PB/2008/00999 and CIC/SM/A/2009/000286 dated 13-05-2010 held that since the concerned PIO has retired from the service, we find it not possible to impose any penalty on him at this point of time. The precedent was followed in many subsequent orders like Shri Chander Prakash v. AAI, CIC/SS/C/2013/000053 dated 18.12.2013. The RTI Act does not specifically debar action against the PIO on superannuation.

Citation: Sudhir Choudhary v.Office of the Chief Executive Officer, Jhansi Cantonment Board, File No: CIC/DIGDE/A/2024/114007; Date of order: 03.11.2025

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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