Sabharwal’s transfer comes in the wake of her questioning the police against her for reposting an AI-generated image critical of the government’s ill-fated plans to clear 400 acres of forested land in Kancha Gachibowli in March.
Published Apr 28, 2025 | 9:01 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 28, 2025 | 9:01 PM
Sabharwal became the first woman officer to be appointed to the Chief Minister’s Office during the tenure of the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi government.
Synopsis: Senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal has been transferred by the Congress-led Telangana government from her position as Secretary, Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture, days after she questioned a police notice issued over her reposting of an AI-generated image critical of the government’s ill-fated Kancha Gachibowli auction. She has been reassigned as Member Secretary, Telangana State Finance Commission – a post widely regarded as a backwater for officers who fall out of favour with the government. Her transfer comes amid preparations for the Miss World 2025 pageant, which she had been overseeing.
The Congress-led Telangana government on Sunday, 27 April, transferred senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal from her position as Secretary, Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture, appointing her as Member Secretary, Telangana State Finance Commission – considered a backwater post for officers who fall out of favour with the government.
Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary, ITE&C and Sports, has been assigned full additional charge of her previous post, along with his role as CEO, Industry and Investment Cell in the Chief Minister’s Office.
Sabharwal’s transfer comes in the wake of her questioning the police against her for reposting an AI-generated image critical of the government’s ill-fated plans to clear 400 acres of forested land in Kancha Gachibowli in March.
The image depicted bulldozers in front of the Mushroom Rock inside the University of Hyderabad campus, with a peacock and a deer looking on – a scene intended to highlight the alleged threat to wildlife from the government’s clearing action.
Soon after, she was issued a notice under Section 179 of the BNSS by the Kancha Gachibowli police.
Following the notice, Sabharwal questioned why she alone was being singled out despite thousands of other users also sharing the post.
“Have fully cooperated with Gachibowli police authorities, and given my detailed statement today as a law-abiding citizen under the BNSS Act. The post was reshared by 2,000 individuals on this platform,” she wrote in a post on X.
“I sought clarification on whether the same action is initiated for all! If not, this raises concern about selective targeting, that in turn compromises the principles of natural justice and equality before the Law.”
The Telangana government had earlier alleged that the widespread circulation of AI-generated images and videos related to the Kancha Gachibowli issue, including visuals such as crying peacocks and injured deer fleeing bulldozers were used to mislead the public and incite unrest.
Though Sabharwal refrained from directly criticising the government, she continued to repost critical commentary from X users, which reportedly unsettled sections of the establishment.
Interestingly, Sabharwal’s transfer also comes at a crucial time, as she was leading preparations for the upcoming Miss World 2025 pageant scheduled to be held in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana.
Sabharwal became the first woman officer to be appointed to the Chief Minister’s Office during the tenure of the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government. Over the years, she rose to prominence through her direct engagement with citizens and is often dubbed ‘People’s officer’.
While she found considerable support among users of X for her questioning of the police action, including from some retired IAS officers, others questioned whether it was appropriate for a serving civil servant to publicly challenge the government, given the service rules mandating restraint and discipline.
Wild allegations also surfaced accusing her of indirectly supporting the opposition BRS, while others questioned her silence over similar issues during the previous BRS regime’s tenure.
Notably, Sabharwal had earlier triggered controversy with her comments regarding reservations for physically challenged persons in the All India Services.
“Would an airline hire a pilot with a disability? Or would you trust a surgeon with a disability? The nature of the All India Service (AIS) is fieldwork, long taxing hours, and listening first-hand to people’s grievances, which require physical fitness. Why does this premier service need this quota in the first place?” she wrote in a post on X.
Her comments came amid a controversy surrounding Puja Khedkar, a former trainee IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, who faced allegations of availing disability concessions and claiming OBC status through questionable means.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
