IAS officer Somesh Kumar reports to AP govt after HC verdict

Senior IAS officer Somesh Kumar reported to the Andhra Pradesh cadre on Thursday, January 12 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 Andhra Pradesh 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.

Somesh Kumar arrived in Vijayawada on Thursday and met Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary KS 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," Somesh 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, Somesh Kumar also called on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Upon the bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh in June 2014, the officer was allotted to the Andhra Pradesh cadre but he challenged it in the CAT, on which the Hyderabad Bench of CAT ruled in his favour in March 2016. Based on the CAT order, he continued in the 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". Somesh Kumar has service left till December 31, 2023.