As the news of revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia being promoted as finance secretary seeped into the India Legal newsroom, there was little surprise. Not because the promotion was only to be expected – that, it was – but because India Legal, in its October 16 edition of Delhi Durbar, had predicted this.

On Monday (November 6) the truth happened. The news talked about how the 1981 batch IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre has moved closer to the corridors of power. It was opportunity that Prime Minister Narendra Modi jumped at immediately as incumbent finance secretary Ashok Lavasa was set to superannuation last month.

That Durbar item in India Legal, read as follows:

Promotion Guaranteed

Like Goyal on the political front, the current star on the bureaucratic front is Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia. Not only is he a Gujarat cadre officer trusted by the Prime Minister, he is the government’s star performer in calming the nerves of India Inc., in the light of prevailing economic tailwinds. Instead of the finance minister or a cabinet minister, Adhia was deputed to meet with leading exporters and inform them that the government will clear their pending GST refunds by end-November and over the next six months, no tax will be levied on exports as the GST Council has decided to revert to the pre-GST era. Adhia also interacts with the media to defend the government’s economic policies. As reward for his efforts, it is believed that he will be appointed as the next finance secretary.

 —India Legal Bureau

Above: Achal Kumar Joti was recently appointed chief election commissioner by the NDA government. He will take charge from Nasim Zaidi who retires on July 6

As the current Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi retires on July 6, Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti will take over as the next CEC in a smooth transition.

Joti was recently appointed the 21st CEC by the NDA government. Zaidi had been in his post since April 19, 2015.

Joti (64) carries a distinct Gujarat connection, helpful to the NDA. He was chief secretary of the state and had also been a top officer in several institutes in Gujarat, including as chairman of the Kandla Port Trust (1999 and 2004) and as managing director of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL).

Soon after the NDA came to power, Joti was appointed Election Commissioner (on May 7, 2015), despite having retired from active service in 2013. He is a 1975-batch IAS Officer of the Gujarat cadre.

Interestingly, Joti being 64 now, will have a short, one-year tenure at the top, because the retirement time for CECs is 65, even if the tenure is of six years.

—India Legal Bureau