IndiaPosted at: Oct 10 2026 9:10PM


Centre approves 27 Joint Secretary-level appointments; Four named to Home Ministry, new Deputy Election Commissioner appointed

New Delhi, Oct 10 (UNI) The Centre on Saturday approved 27 senior bureaucratic appointments across union ministries and key government institutions, including four Joint Secretaries in the Ministry of Home Affairs and a new Deputy Election Commissioner, in a major administrative reshuffle.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointments at Joint Secretary and equivalent levels, carrying Level 14 pay under the Central Government's pay matrix.
The reshuffle covers the ministries of Home Affairs, Health and Family Welfare, Corporate Affairs, Culture, Road Transport and Highways, besides the Election Commission of India, National Health Authority, National Testing Agency, Central Vigilance Commission and NITI Aayog.
Four Joint Secretaries appointed to Home Ministry: Ravi Shanakar, a 2007-batch Gujarat-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, replacing M Ramachandrudu, a 2009-batch Bihar-cadre IAS officer.
Chittaranjan Dash, a 1999-batch IRS officer, will replace Praveen Kumar Rai, while P Manoj Kumar, a 1998-batch Indian Statistical Service officer, will succeed Parthasarathi Gurrala.
Abhishek Bhagotia, a 2007-batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in place of Nishtha Tiwari, a 2005-batch IRS officer. Ramachandrudu has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Minority Affairs, replacing Ram Singh, while Nishtha Tiwari will take over as Chief Executive Officer of the Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities.
Haryana-cadre IAS officer to be replaced in Health Ministry: Mohammed Y Safirulla K, a 2010-batch Kerala-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Department of Health and Family Welfare in place of Nikhil Gajraj, a 2008-batch Haryana-cadre IAS officer.
Safirulla's appointment carries a combined tenure extending up to August 27, 2030, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Ritu Sharma, a 2005-batch IRS officer, has also been appointed Joint Secretary in the department, replacing Vandana Jain.
At the National Health Authority, Varnali Deka, a 2009-batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre IAS officer, will replace Jyoti Yadav as Joint Secretary. More Ashish Madhaorao, a 2005-batch AGMUT-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Additional Chief Executive Officer of the authority, replacing Madhu Rani Teotia.
Prakash Rajpurohit appointed Deputy Election Commissioner Prakash Rajpurohit, a 2010-batch Rajasthan-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Deputy Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India, replacing Sanjay Kumar, a 2008-batch AGMUT-cadre IAS officer.
His appointment is for a combined tenure extending up to April 8, 2030, or until further orders.
Appointments in commerce, culture and corporate affairs;
Brijesh Panday, a 2004-batch Tripura-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Department of Capital Development, replacing Thara D. Nikhil Varma, a 2005-batch IRS officer, has been appointed Additional Director General of Foreign Trade in Delhi under the Department of Commerce, replacing Vrunda Manohar Desai.
Tanvi Sundriyal, a 2010-batch Madhya Pradesh-cadre IAS officer, will take over as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, replacing Rahul Jain.
Inderjeet Singh, a 2010-batch Rajasthan-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, replacing Amita Prasad Sarbhai.
Senior appointments in NTA, CVC and NITI Aayog:
Vivek Khare, a 1996-batch Indian Trade Service officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the National Testing Agency under the Department of Higher Education. The appointment involves temporarily upgrading a newly created Deputy Secretary/Director-level post to Joint Secretary level for an initial period of two years.
Nitin Kumar, a Central Secretariat Service officer, has been appointed Additional Secretary at Joint Secretary level in the Central Vigilance Commission, replacing Ajay Kumar Kanoujia. Sonia Pant, a 2001-batch Indian Economic Service officer, has been appointed Adviser at Joint Secretary level in NITI Aayog, replacing Surender Mehra.
Changes in infrastructure, food and financial regulation
C Murugan, a 2007-batch West Bengal-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, replacing Kamlesh Chaturvedi. Rajneesh Kumar Tomar, a 1998-batch Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers officer, will take over as Chief Executive Officer of National Highways Logistics Management Limited, replacing Rajesh Malik. Rajesh Malik has been appointed Executive Director of the Food Corporation of India in New Delhi, replacing Ashutosh Joshi.
Tamboli Ayyaj Fakirbhai, a 2009-batch Chhattisgarh-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Executive Director at Joint Secretary level in the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India. Urban development, water resources and women's commission Manisha Trighatia, a 2002-batch Uttar Pradesh-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Department of Urban Development, replacing Roopa Mishra.
Avinash Jain, a 2001-batch Indian Railway Service of Engineers officer, will take over as Joint Secretary in the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, replacing Subodh Yadav. Pawan Kumar, a 2005-batch IRS officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the National River Conservation Directorate, replacing Anand Mohan.
Anita Shah Akella, a 1996-batch Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the National Commission for Women, replacing Radhika Chakravarthy B. Navin Agarwal, a 1997-batch Indian Railway Personnel Service officer, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Department of Legal Affairs, replacing Ajay Gupta.
The appointments will take effect from the dates on which the officers assume charge of their respective posts. The ACC has approved different tenure arrangements, including fresh five-year appointments and specified combined or overall tenures, subject to further orders.
The October 10 order, bearing number 33/17/2026-EO(SM-I), was issued by Manisha Saxena, Secretary to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and Establishment Officer.
Source: Original four-page ACC order dated October 10, 2026. All 27 appointments have been included, with tenure conditions distinguished from actual assumption of charge.
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Tags: #Centre approves 27 Joint Secretary-level appointments; Four named to Home Ministry# new Deputy Election Commissioner appointed
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