KR Jyothilal all set to become new Chief Secretary of Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Department Additional Chief Secretary K R Jyothilal is likely to become the new Chief Secretary of Kerala. A decision may be taken by the 15th. Jyothilal is likely to replace current Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak, who is retiring on the 30th of this month. Health Department Additional Chief Secretary Dr Rajan N. Khobragade will also retire this month.

Among the current Additional Chief Secretaries, Manoj Joshi of the 1989 batch is the senior one. He is on central deputation. Rachana Shah of the 1991 batch is also in the central service. It has been informed that both of them will not return to Kerala.

Biswanath Sinha, a 1992 batch officer, is the senior-most officer in the state.

However, since the UDF had demanded action on the complaints raised by women IAS officers during the LDF tenure, Sinha is unlikely to become the Chief Secretary. K.R. Jyotilal is more likely to take over. Sinha, a native of Bihar, will retire in September 2028. Jyotilal has served until May 2029.

Among the latter, Additional Chief Secretary to the Power Department Puneet Kumar and Additional Chief Secretary to the Governor Dr Devendra Kumar Dhodawat are ahead in seniority. Although Principal Secretary to the Parliamentary Affairs Raju Narayana Swamy is a 1991 batch IAS officer, he has not been given the rank of Chief Secretary.