The Hindu : Karnataka News : Vijay Gore likely to be new Chief Secretary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Vijay Gore likely to be new Chief Secretary

By S. Rajendran

BANGALORE, FEB. 8. A new Chief Secretary to the State Government is likely to be appointed next month as the coalition Government is holding informal discussions about the successor to K.K. Misra who is said to have applied to the Centre for appointment as member of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

Government sources told The Hindu here on Tuesday that the Additional Chief Secretary, Vijay Gore, who is the senior-most civil service officer in the State belonging to the 1968 batch, is likely to succeed Mr. Misra.

The announcement of the new Chief Secretary is, however, likely only next month because of the gram panchayat elections.

Though the election code of conduct does not cover this appointment as the Chief Secretary has no role in the conduct of the elections, the Government has decided to play it safe.

Apart from his seniority, Mr. Vijay Gore, a native of Belgaum, is a Kannadiga and this has apparently weighed in his favour.

Although he was appointed to the IAS in 1973, Mr. Vijay Gore, who had had a seven-year stint in the Army (Corps of Signals), was given a five-year weightage and thus belongs to the 1968 batch.

It is said that S. Krishna Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Union Government in the new Department of Non-Resident Indians, who belongs to the 1969 batch is reluctant to return to his home State.

Yet another Additional Chief Secretary to the State Government, Chiranjeev Singh, who also belongs to the 1969 batch, retires on March 31. B.K. Das also belongs to the 1969 batch and retires in September 2006. While the incumbent Chief Secretary retires on July 31, Mr. Vijay Gore retires on June 30, 2005.

Hence, if the Government is keen on appointing him then it should push through with the change immediately.

This is said to be the crux of the argument put across by some of the senior Ministers belonging to the Janata Dal (Secular) who have favoured the appointment of Mr. Vijay Gore to the top post.

The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, who has said that he would like to stick to the seniority rule, is likely to bring the matter before the Cabinet only after another round of discussion with the senior Ministers.

In the view of the Government, the application of Mr. Misra for appointment as a member of the CAT is a clear indication that his attention was now focussed towards a central posting. He took charge as the Chief Secretary on February 1, 2004 after the superannuation of his predecessor, B.S. Patil. Mr. Vijay Gore was a close contender when Mr. Misra was chosen for the top post based on his seniority.

Mr. Misra's appointment in the CAT is likely to take time as it involves a long-drawn process.

A committee headed by the Chief Justice of India has to finalise a selection list which is then placed before the Prime Minister.

Thereafter, the Cabinet Committee on Appointments clears the list and the orders are finally issued by the Department of Personnel.

There are four (members) vacancies in the CAT and one among them is in Chennai. There are no vacancies in the State.

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