The state government, which hurriedly issued an order transferring Kerala IAS officer B Ashok on Monday, ignoring the interim stay order issued by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), suffered a major setback on Tuesday as the CAT deferred the latest order. The Ernakulam bench of the CAT also ordered that the stay issued earlier on the GO appointing Ashok as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC) will continue. The case has been posted for September 22.

Ashok had moved the CAT challenging the order issued by the government on August 30, appointing him as the KTDFC MD. Tinku Biswal was posted as the Agricultural Production Commissioner and was given additional charge of the Agriculture department and Principal Secretary, Transport department. Considering the petition filed by Ashok, the CAT comprising Justice Sunil Thomas and member V Rama Mathew directed on September 9 that the operation of the government order on transfer will be stayed till September 16 (case posting date) and consequently, Ashok will hold the posts held by him prior to the issuance of the order.

Following the tribunal's order, Ashok, who was on leave, returned to office and continued in his posts in the Agriculture department. The state government, however, made a surprise move on Monday evening, when it issued an order again transferring him, this time to the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department. Tinku Biswal was transferred to the Local Self-Government Department. GAD officials told Onmanorama that this decision was backed by legal consultation. The CAT on Tuesday, however, remarked that it was not appreciable for the state government to issue an order when the stay was already in effect. 

With the CAT deferring the latest transfer order, the government will be forced to let Ashok continue in his post as the Agricultural Commissioner.