T’puram: With Kerala’s top bureaucratic post set to fall vacant in little over a month following the impending retirement of chief secretary A Jayathilak, state govt’s options for appointing the next administrative head are narrowing rapidly, with seniority, political equations and past controversies all emerging as determining factors in the race.Sanjeev Kaushik, the next seniormost IAS officer from the 1992 batch, eligible for consideration and presently on deputation, has ruled himself out. “I will not be returning to Kerala cadre at this stage due to personal reasons. I have personally met the chief secretary and informed him of my inability to come back to the state to take up an assignment. I have also formally communicated my decision to the state govt through a registered letter,” Kaushik said.With Kaushik stepping aside, the choice is now understood to have narrowed primarily to two senior officers — present home secretary Biswanath Sinha and finance secretary K R Jyothilal.Under normal convention, seniority will place Sinha ahead in the line of consideration. However, whether the newly elected UDF govt will eventually choose him remains a matter of keen interest within bureaucratic and political circles, particularly because Congress functionaries had publicly sought action against him during the previous LDF regime over allegations raised by women IAS officers regarding inappropriate behaviour.In 2019, Congress brass levelled serious allegations against Sinha, then serving in a key administrative position, accusing the then chief minister’s office of attempting to shield the officer despite the complaints. The allegations were publicly raised by Jyothikumar Chamakkala, current Congress MLA from Parhanapuram, who was then serving as KPCC spokesperson.Congress had accused the previous LDF govt of attempting to protect the officer by limiting action to administrative adjustments instead of ordering a formal investigation.The controversy continues to remain politically sensitive because Sinha has long been perceived within bureaucratic circles as being close to the previous LDF administration. Whether the Congress-led govt will overlook those past political positions and still elevate him to the state’s top bureaucratic post is now being closely watched. When TOI contacted Sinha for his response, he had “no comments” to offer on the matter before abruptly ending the call.In contrast, Jyothilal is widely viewed within administrative circles as an officer who has maintained a non-controversial service record and has worked acceptably across different political dispensations in the state. The govt’s eventual choice is expected to be read not merely as an administrative decision, but also as a political signal about the UDF govt’s approach towards its own declared stand while in the opposition and past controversies within the higher civil service.
