The appointment of Mr. Somesh Kumar as Chief Secretary superseding several of his senior colleagues has, apparently, created disquiet among them.
Even when the name of Mr. Somesh Kumar, along with other Special Chief Secretary cadre officers, who were his seniors, was doing the rounds for the top post, it was said then itself that in case of Mr. Somesh Kumar being chosen, many of the senior officers would have to be shifted so that they need not report to him directly on day-to-day basis.
Some of the IAS officers, it was learnt, went on leave, reportedly disheartened that their seniority had been overlooked. And some seniors reportedly are reluctant to report to their junior.
Mr. Somesh Kumar is a 1989 batch IAS officer, while his senior most colleagues who were eligible for the Chief Secretary post were from the 1983 batch. “Either propriety-wise or protocol-wise it is a bit delicate for a senior officer to report to his junior,” remarked an officer though stating he was not privy to any such development.
Among 13 senior IAS officers senior to Mr. Somesh Kumar, those outside the State and serving at the Centre like Mr. Binoy Kumar, Ms. Pushpa Subramanyam and others would not have any grievance. Mr. B. P. Acharya, senior most officer and Director-General, MCR HRD Institute of Telangana, and Mr. Suresh Chanda, Member-Secretary, Telangana State Finance Commission, may not be affected as any way they are working outside the Secretariat.
But other senior IAS officers functioning from the Secretariat and who directly have to report to the Chief Secretary may have some reservations reporting to their junior. “It depends on the equation and comfort level between the new Chief Secretary and his senior officers. In the past, some seniors worked under a Chief Secretary who was junior to them. But it is an individual call of the officer concerned,” some officers said.
