M R Ajith Kumar appointed as Bevco CMD

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: M R Ajith Kumar, who was removed from the post of Excise Commissioner, has been appointed as Bevco CMD. Ajith Kumar was removed from the post of Excise Commissioner the other day following an order from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

The CAT had directed that only IAS officers should be appointed to cadre posts and that appointments and transfers must be made based on the recommendation of the Civil Services Board.

The order clarified that the post of Excise Commissioner is an IAS cadre position. Based on this ruling, Ajith Kumar, who holds the rank of ADGP, had to step down from the role. The responsibility has now been temporarily given to the Additional Commissioner.

There are 261 IAS cadre posts in Kerala, of which 126 are senior positions. According to the CAT order, IAS officers must generally be allowed to continue in a post for at least two years, except in cases such as promotion, retirement, or deputation of less than two months.

The order also states that transfers, appointments, or suspensions cannot take place unless the Civil Service Board, chaired by the Chief Secretary and consisting of the Additional Chief Secretary and the concerned department secretary, issues a decision with proper justification.