Thiruvananthapuram: The state government, which had suffered a setback while attempting to shift IAS officer B Ashok from the Department of Agriculture, has initiated another move, which in all probability will lead to a new round of legal battle.

The General Administration Department issued an order on Saturday, posting him as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC).

Ashok told Onmanorama that there were legal issues with the order and hinted that he would contest the order. Ashok has already applied for leave. He will rejoin duty on September 15. His leave begins on Monday.

In January 2025, the government issued an order appointing him as the chairman of the Local Self Government Reforms Commission, and he was transferred from his post as Agricultural Production Commissioner & Principal Secretary (Agriculture). 

Ashok challenged this order in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The tribunal, in an interim order, directed the Kerala government to allow the official to continue in his post with the Department of Agriculture. Later, the tribunal also set aside the state government's order. 

When he was transferred as the chairman of the LSG reforms commission, he had contended that his deputation order was issued without his consent. 

The CAT, even while allowing his petition, however, had noted that the choice of an individual is exclusively that of the executive. "It is pertinent to note that on the first occasion, a politician was considered to man the Commission. Next time, an expert on that subject will be selected. On the third occasion, probably the Cabinet in its wisdom thought that a bureaucrat with its rich administrative experience may be the person who can man the Commission. The wisdom of that choice by itself may not indicate malice," the tribunal had observed in the order setting aside the decision of the government to transfer him to the LSG department.

The CAT noted that the power to depute an IAS officer for a post can be exercised only by the Union government with the consent of the applicant, and since the state government purportedly exercised the power, the order was legally not sustainable.

Ashok is likely to contest the CAT; his transfer to the transport department and the alleged violation of conditions under the relevant provision of the IAS Cadre Rules, 1954, will be the main points of contention.