Rao joins as new CS

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 2, 2020

SHILLONG: MS Rao has taken over as new chief secretary of the state.

Official sources informed that Rao has assumes office from Thursday.

Rao, a 1987 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Assam-Meghalaya cadre officer, succeeded Parmarsan S Thangkhiew, who retired on December 31.

Earlier, additional chief secretary Hector Marwein in a petition submitted to then chief secretary had asked the government to reconsider the matter so that he may rightfully be given the post of chief secretary to which he is entitled to as per seniority and past precedent in the state.

Marwein of the 1985 batch had served for 34 years in various capacities in the state government without any blemish in his administrative record.

Stating that this supersession has set an unhealthy precedent in the state, Marwein had said it will allow

for unhealthy competition among officers for securing this highest post in the government administrative machinery in future.

According to him, the post of chief secretary in this state has always been given to the senior most IAS officer serving in the state.

The senior IAS officer had also said he feels that he has been wrongfully denied of this post in the fag-end of his administrative career.

Earlier, NGOs had also demanded the state government to revoke the appointment of Rao and to appoint Marwein as the new CS of the state.