In a significant administrative overhaul timed just months before Assam is scheduled to go to the polls, the state government has ordered a major reshuffle involving 14 senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and state service officers. This sweeping move involves a series of exchanges and new appointments across several crucial districts and state departments.
Key District Commissioner Postings See Major Changes
The reshuffle has notably impacted the leadership of key districts. Sumit Sattawan, the District Commissioner (DC) of Kamrup Metropolitan, has been transferred to Tinsukia district. Replacing him in the vital Guwahati administrative seat will be Swapneel Paul, who moves from Tinsukia. In the Karbi Anglong district, Aranyak Saikia, previously serving as staff officer to the chief secretary, takes over as the new DC. He succeeds Nirala Phangshopi, who has been shifted to the Hill Areas department as an additional secretary.
Further exchanges between districts have been ordered. Sivasagar DC Aayush Garg and Cachar DC Mridul Yadav will swap their postings. A similar direct exchange has been mandated for Dhubri DC Dibakar Nath and Bongaigaon DC Nabadeep Pathak, who will trade positions.
Reshuffle Extends to Departmental and Other Key Roles
The administrative changes are not confined to district postings alone. Masanda Magdalin Pertin has been moved from her dual role as the DC of Kokrajhar and director of training at the Bodoland Administrative Staff College. She will now join the state finance department as a joint secretary.
Tamulpur DC Pankaj Chakravarty is set to take over Pertin's responsibilities in Kokrajhar. The consequent vacancy in Tamulpur will be filled by Simi Karan, who is currently a joint secretary in the environment and forest, and housing and urban affairs departments.
Prison and Home Department Appointments
The reshuffle has also reconfigured top positions in the prison and home departments. Pubali Gohain, who held the positions of Inspector General (Prisons) and secretary of home and political departments, has been appointed as the new DC of Darrang district. She replaces Parag Kumar Kakaty, who now moves to Golaghat as its DC. The outgoing DC of Golaghat, Pulak Mahanta, is slated to take on the role of Inspector General (Prisons), completing this cycle of appointments.
This large-scale transfer of senior bureaucrats is seen as a strategic administrative move by the state government ahead of the upcoming electoral battle. Such reshuffles often aim to place officers in positions aligned with governance priorities and electoral preparedness in key regions. The changes affect some of the most administratively significant districts in Assam, indicating a focus on streamlining governance and law and order machinery in the run-up to the polls.
