Thiruvananthapuram: Outgoing chief secretary Vishwas Mehta has been chosen as the next chief information commissioner (CIC) of the state.He would replace Vinson M Paul, who completed his tenure in November.
Mehta, who will retire as chief secretary on February 28, will be sworn in as CIC and will continue for a term of three years in the post. A panel consisting of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, law minister A K Balan and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala met online on Thursday and decided on the outgoing chief secretary for the post. Based on the committee’s majority recommendation, it is the governor who would formally appoint the CIC.
An officer from 1986 batch of IAS, he was appointed as the chief secretary of the state on June 1 last year. Prior to his present assignment, Mehta has served in the state in various other capacities including as additional chief secretary of (home, vigilance, water resources, housing, revenue, principal secretary (general administration), secretary (health and family welfare) and resident commissioner of Kerala House in New Delhi.
Hailing from Rajasthan, after obtaining post-graduation in Geology, Mehta completed PhD from Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur.tnn