Cancelling the first panel, Nabanna, the state secretariat has reportedly a fresh list of three senior IAS officers to Raj Bhavan on Monday to appoint one of them as secretary to the Governor CV Ananda Bose after Nandini Chakraborty posted in the same portfolio at Raj Bhavan was transferred to the state tourism department.
Nabanna has recommended three names-Atri Bhattacharya, additional chief secretary (ACS) in-charge of Sundarban affairs department, Ajit Bardhan, ACS in the north Bengal development department and Barun Roy, ACS in labour department, it’s learnt.
Earlier, state power department secretary S Suresh Kumar, an ACS, was recommended in the list of the first panel of bureaucrats proposed to be sent to the Raj Bhavan but it was cancelled after discussions with the chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
Sources said that there are several instances of how senior bureaucrats in the rank of ACS have been appointed as secretary to the Governor. For instance, Satish Tiwari and Sunil Kumar Gupta, two ACSs were transferred to the Raj Bhavan.
The state government transferred Mrs Chakraborty, a 1994-batch IAS officer, to the tourism department on Wednesday after Mr Bose sent her a note, on 12 February, releasing her from the post of his secretary.
“Mrs Chakraborty was transferred from the post of secretary to the Governor on 13 February and the government is considering names of three other bureaucrats as one of her replacement,” according to a senior official at Nabanna.
There is a buzz in the administrative circuit that Mr Bose wants to set up his team of experienced officers at Raj Bhavan to keep close watch on law and order situation ahead of panchayat polls scheduled in April in Bengal.
A senior bureaucrat felt that whoever takes charge of secretary to the Governor, his or her role might be crucial particularly at a time when Nabanna is all set for a confrontation with Raj Bhavan on the backdrop of Mr Chakraborty’s episode.