Uncertainty over Excise Commissioner appointment: Contempt of court petition filed against Chief Secretary

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The IAS Association filed a contempt petition against the Chief Secretary for not appointing an IAS officer as Excise Commissioner despite a court order. The Central Administrative Tribunal, which accepted the petition, issued a notice to the Chief Secretary.

The tribunal had invalidated the appointment of IPS officer M R Ajith Kumar as Excise Commissioner, stating that only IAS officers should be appointed to IAS cadre posts. Although Ajith was transferred, J. Kishore Kumar, an IPS officer, was appointed in his place instead.

The IAS officers pointed out that although the Chief Secretary is responsible for implementing the court order, the ADGP was replaced and the SP was appointed through the order of the Additional Secretary of the Tax Department. The order of the Tax Department states that Ajith was transferred based on the tribunal order. However, the contempt petition points out that the order has not been complied with.

The order stated that the posts of Excise Commissioner, IMG Director General and KILA Director General are IAS cadre posts and only IAS officers should be appointed. The association also requested the Chief Secretary to appoint an IAS officer to the post of Secretary to the Governor, which is a cadre post. This should not be allowed, and since the new government has to take the oath, an IAS officer should be appointed.

The post of Secretary to the Governor has been lying vacant for months after Davendra Kumar Dhodawat was appointed to the Central Warehousing Corporation. The association also demanded that an IAS officer be appointed as the Chief Minister's Principal Secretary.