Somesh reports to AP govt

Vijayawada: Senior IAS officer Somesh Kumar reported to the Andhra Pradesh cadre on Thursday following a directive from the Union government's department of personnel and training.

The DoPT directed Somesh Kumar, former chief secretary of Telangana, to report to the AP cadre by January 12 in line with the verdict of the High Court that struck down an order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) letting him continue in Telangana cadre post-bifurcation in 2014. Kumar arrived in Vijayawada on Thursday and met AP chief secretary K S Jawahar Reddy at the latter's camp office with his joining report.

"I have complied with the order of the Government of India and reported to the AP government. As an officer, I have to take up any post given by the government and I will follow that," Kumar later told reporters.

Asked if he was offered an advisor's post by the Telangana government, the IAS officer said he has not taken any decision on that. "Whatever comes in the stride, I am going to take it. First, I will join here and then go according to the situation," he added.

Later, Kumar also called on Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. Upon bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh in June 2014, the officer was allotted to the AP cadre but he challenged it in the CAT, on which the Hyderabad Bench ruled in his favour in March 2016.

Based on the CAT order, he continued in Telangana cadre and held various important posts in the government and went on to become the state Chief Secretary in 2020. The Telangana High Court, however, on January 10 struck down the CAT order, calling it "unsustainable in law and on facts".

The same day the department for personnel training (DoPT) of the Government of India relieved him from the state government of Telangana and directed to join the Andhra Pradesh government latest by January 12.

Kumar has service left till December 31, 2023. The Telangana government on Wednesday appointed A Santhi Kumari as the new chief secretary.