Rajasthan transfers 26 IAS, 53 RAS officers before civic poll code kicks in
Synopsis
Hours before the Model Code of Conduct was set to kick in for Rajasthan's urban local body elections, the state government executed a sweeping late-night reshuffle — moving 26 IAS and 53 RAS officers and deploying 14 trainee IAS officers as election duty OSDs. The scale and timing signal a deliberate administrative reset under direct pressure from the State Election Commission.
Key Takeaways
The Rajasthan government transferred 26 IAS and 53 RAS officers in a late-night reshuffle on 18 August .
14 trainee IAS officers posted as Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) with District Election Officers ahead of urban local body polls.
The State Election Commission had directed the relocation of officers posted at the same location for three or more years .
Key changes include new heads for the Ajmer Development Authority , Bikaner Development Authority , Ajmer Municipal Corporation , and Rajasthan University .
Three RAS officers — including the Rajasthan University Registrar and Rajasthan Textbook Board Secretary — placed on Awaiting Posting Orders status.
All transferred officers directed to join new posts immediately; disciplinary action warned for non-compliance.
The Rajasthan government carried out a sweeping late-night administrative reshuffle on 18 August, transferring 26 IAS and 53 RAS officers ahead of the anticipated enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the state's upcoming urban local body elections. Additionally, 14 trainee IAS officers have been deployed as Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) in the offices of District Election Officers across multiple districts.
Why the Reshuffle Was Ordered
The State Election Commission directed the government to relocate officers who had remained at the same posting for three years or more — a standard pre-election measure aimed at ensuring administrative neutrality ahead of the poll process. Several RAS officers had already been moved in the preceding week, and the latest orders extend that exercise significantly.
The Department of Personnel has instructed all transferred RAS officers to join their new assignments immediately. District Collectors and Heads of Departments have been directed to relieve the concerned officers without delay, with disciplinary action warned against those who fail to comply.
Key Postings and Changes
Nitya K., Commissioner of the Ajmer Development Authority, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Energy Department. Rashmi Rani, CEO of the Jaisalmer Zila Parishad, will take charge as the new Commissioner of the Ajmer Development Authority.
Girdhar, CEO of the Sri Ganganagar Zila Parishad, has been appointed CEO of the Bhiwadi Integrated Development Authority (BIDA). Utsah Chaudhary, Commissioner of the Jodhpur Development Authority, has been moved as Joint Secretary in the Disaster Management Department.
Dhaygude Sneh Nana, Secretary of the Alwar UIT, has been appointed Commissioner of the Bikaner Development Authority. Gaurav Budania, CEO of the Sawai Madhopur Zila Parishad, has been appointed Commissioner of the Ajmer Municipal Corporation. Shalukhe Gaurav Ravindra, CEO of the Alwar Zila Parishad, has been transferred as Secretary of the Bhilwara UIT.
Officers Awaiting Posting Orders Get New Assignments
Six IAS officers who were on Awaiting Posting Orders (APO) status have received fresh assignments: Lalit Goyal as Joint Secretary, PWD; Abhishek Jain as CEO, Zila Parishad, Sri Ganganagar; Pritam Kumar as CEO, Zila Parishad, Udaipur; Saksham Goyal as Joint Secretary, Water Supply Department; Bhesare Shubham Ashok as CEO, Zila Parishad, Jaipur; Pratibha Daya as CEO, Zila Parishad, Karauli; and Kaluram as Registrar of Rajasthan University.
Notably, Kaluram had previously served as Special Assistant to Rajasthan Minister of State for Energy Hiralal Nagar and was placed on APO status on 12 August. His new posting at Rajasthan University comes within a week of that order.
Kailash Chand Sharma, Additional Registrar of the Revenue Board, has been appointed Secretary of the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education — a post that had reportedly remained vacant for some time. Mahavir Singh-II, ADM Karauli, has been transferred as Secretary of the Rajasthan Textbook Board, Jaipur, replacing Ranjita Gautam, who has been placed on APO status alongside Ashu Chaudhary (Registrar, Rajasthan University) and Suresh Kumar Rao (Protocol Officer, GAD Jodhpur).
What Happens Next
The Model Code of Conduct for the urban local body elections is expected to come into force shortly. This reshuffle is widely seen as the government's final administrative repositioning before election oversight passes to the State Election Commission. Several commissioners and secretaries of development authorities and Urban Improvement Trusts (UITs) have been changed as part of the exercise, signalling a broad reset of civic administrative leadership ahead of the polls.
Point of View
Yet governments routinely wait until the eve of the MCC to act on it, compressing what should be a gradual process into a disruptive overnight exercise. The rapid reposting of Kaluram — from a minister's personal staff to a university registrar within a week — is the kind of detail that warrants scrutiny: pre-election reshuffles are meant to insulate administration from political influence, not to reward political proximity with plum postings.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Rajasthan transfer 26 IAS and 53 RAS officers on 18 August?
The Rajasthan government carried out the reshuffle ahead of the Model Code of Conduct for urban local body elections, acting on a State Election Commission directive to relocate officers who had been posted at the same location for three or more years. The transfers are intended to ensure administrative neutrality during the election period.
What role will the 14 trainee IAS officers play?
The 14 trainee IAS officers have been posted as Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) in the offices of District Election Officers across various districts. Their deployment is part of the election preparedness exercise ahead of the urban local body polls.
Which key administrative posts changed hands in this reshuffle?
Major changes include new appointments at the Ajmer Development Authority, Bikaner Development Authority, Ajmer Municipal Corporation, Bhiwadi Integrated Development Authority, Rajasthan University, and the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education, among others.
When is the Model Code of Conduct for Rajasthan's local body elections expected to take effect?
The Model Code of Conduct is expected to come into force shortly after the 18 August reshuffle. The government's urgency in completing transfers suggests the MCC implementation is imminent.
What happens to officers who do not comply with transfer orders?
The Department of Personnel has warned of disciplinary action against officers who fail to join their new postings immediately. District Collectors and Heads of Departments have been directed to relieve transferred officers without delay.
