Published Nov 02, 2026 | 3:45 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 02, 2026 | 3:45 PM
Kerala government. (Wikimedia)
Synopsis: The extensive reshuffle covers key portfolios including Home, Finance, Power, Health, Industries, Local Self Government, Agriculture, Transport and Higher Education, besides several statutory bodies and public sector institutions.
In a major administrative reshuffle, the state government has transferred several senior IAS officers, effecting sweeping changes at the top levels of the bureaucracy.
K.R. Jyothilal has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary of the Home and Vigilance departments, while Minhaj Alam moves to the Finance Department. Jyothilal, who was serving as Additional Chief Secretary of Finance, Taxes and Public Procurement Advisory departments and CEO of the Rebuild Kerala Initiative, will also hold additional charge of Water Resources, Housing and Coir departments.
Minhaj Alam, the outgoing Additional Chief Secretary of Home and Vigilance, has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary of Finance. He will also hold charge of Taxes, Public Procurement Advisory and the Rebuild Kerala Initiative, besides serving as Chairman of the Kerala Financial Corporation.
Puneet Kumar has been shifted from Water Resources to the Power Department as Additional Chief Secretary. He will continue as Resident Commissioner of Kerala House in New Delhi and take additional charge of Officer on Special Duty in the Coordination and Programme Management Division in the Chief Secretary’s office.
Mohammed Hanish APM has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare. He will also hold charge of Ayush, General Education, Revenue (Wakf) and Minority Welfare departments.
Sharmila Mary Joseph moves from Health and Family Welfare to the Transport Department as Principal Secretary, with additional charge of Women and Child Development.
M. Beena, on return from central deputation, has been appointed Principal Secretary of Industries, with additional charge of External Cooperation.
The reshuffle also brings a change at the helm of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).
Prasanth N has been appointed Chairman and Managing Director of KSEB, against a newly created ex-cadre post for one year. He will continue as Special Secretary of Sports and Youth Affairs.
M.G. Rajamanickam, the outgoing KSEB CMD, moves to the Local Self Government Department as Secretary, retaining charge of the Devaswom portfolio and the Guruvayur and Koodalmanikyam Devaswoms.
Anupama T.V. has been appointed Secretary, Finance (Expenditure) Department, replacing Gokul G.R. She will also hold additional charge of Environment.
Gokul will continue as Special Secretary, Planning and Economic Affairs, and take charge of K-DISC as Member Secretary.
Veena N. Madhavan moves from the SC/ST Development Department to the Agriculture Department as Secretary and will also serve as Agricultural Production Commissioner.
P.B. Nooh has been appointed Special Secretary, Labour, replacing Sheeba George.
Jafar Malik, on return from central deputation, takes charge as Commissioner of State GST and Special Secretary, Taxes.
Suhas S moves from Water Resources to Electronics and Information Technology as Special Secretary. He will also hold charge of Industries and continue as Managing Director of Cochin International Airport Ltd.
Seeram Sambasiva Rao moves to the SC/ST Development Department as Special Secretary while continuing as Excise Commissioner.
Abdul Nasar B has been posted as Special Secretary, Cooperation, while Haritha V. Kumar, on return from leave, takes charge as Special Secretary, Social Justice.
Gopalakrishnan K has been appointed Special Secretary of Science and Technology, Cultural Affairs, and Zoos, Museums, Archaeology and Archives departments.
Subhash T.V. will move to the Health Department as Managing Director of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation, while also holding charge of Food Safety Commissioner.
Anjana M has been posted as Special Secretary for Disaster Management, with additional charge of NORKA and Transport (Aviation, Metro and Railway). Chandrasekar S, on return from central deputation, has been appointed Additional Secretary of Fisheries and Harbour Engineering and will also serve as Secretary of the departments.
Afsana Perween, on return from leave, has been appointed Managing Director of MILMA and will hold additional charge as CEO of NORKA Roots.
Devidas N moves as Director of Employment and Training, while retaining charge as Labour Commissioner and Director of Minority Welfare.
Asif K Yusuf has been posted as Additional Secretary, Higher Education, with additional charge of Director of Collegiate Education and Commissioner of Entrance Examinations.
Arun K. Vijayan will additionally serve as Director General of the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA).
Snehil Kumar Singh has been designated Investment Commissioner in the Industries Department. Mithun Premraj will serve as Additional Investment Commissioner.
Anu Kumari moves from the State GST Department to become Director of Tourism.
Dharmalashri D has been posted as Joint Secretary and Officer on Special Duty in the Revenue and Disaster Management departments. Rahul Krishna Sharma becomes Special Commissioner of State GST and will additionally oversee Environment, ANERT and the Kerala Hydel Tourism Centre.
Binu Francis will additionally serve as Managing Director of the Kerala State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank. Harikumar K will take additional charge of Executive Director of Suchitwa Mission.
Mohd Shafiq moves to the Programme Implementation, Evaluation and Monitoring Department as Joint Secretary and Director, with additional charge as Additional CEO of KIIFB. Sameer Kishan has been appointed Additional Commissioner of State GST, moving from Collegiate Education and the Entrance Examinations Department.
Shanavas S will additionally serve as CEO of Cochin Smart Mission Ltd. Balamurali D has been relieved of his additional charge of the Transport Department. The order also relieves Tinku Biswal of the additional charge of Officer on Special Duty in the Chief Secretary’s office and Sheeba George of the Labour Department charge.
Among the changes those of Sharmila Mary Joseph and Rajamanickam stands out. Earlier, there were reports that Health Minister K Muraleedharan himself asked the Chief Minister to replace her as “she is sitting on files.” In the case of Rajamanickam, ongoing power crisis in the state and issues with negotiation to secure power from other states are being considered to be the reasons.
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(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
