Rajendra Kumar Gets Additional Charge as Secretary of Inter State Council Secretariat During Ashish Srivastava’s Leave
The Competent Authority has approved the assignment of additional charge of Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat, to Shri Rajendra Kumar, IAS (TN:1992), who is currently serving as Secretary, Department of Border Management. He will take charge of the additional responsibility from October 2 to October 11, 2026, during the period of leave of Shri Ashish Srivastava, IAS (MP:1992), the incumbent Secretary of the Inter State Council Secretariat.
The decision was communicated through an order issued by the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and the Department of Personnel and Training. The order was issued from New Delhi on October 1, 2026, and specifies that Rajendra Kumar’s additional charge will cover the entire period of Ashish Srivastava’s absence on leave.
Rajendra Kumar to Hold Additional Charge for 10 Days
According to the official communication, Rajendra Kumar will assume the additional responsibility with effect from October 2, 2026. His charge will continue until October 11, 2026, covering a period of 10 days.
During this period, Kumar will continue to serve as Secretary, Department of Border Management, while also looking after the responsibilities of Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat. The order does not indicate any change in his regular posting or suggest that he has been permanently appointed to the Inter State Council Secretariat.
The arrangement has been made specifically to ensure continuity during the leave period of Ashish Srivastava. Once the specified period ends, the temporary additional-charge arrangement is scheduled to conclude, unless a subsequent government order provides otherwise.
Who Is Rajendra Kumar?
Shri Rajendra Kumar is a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre. He is currently serving as Secretary, Department of Border Management, and the latest decision entrusts him with the additional responsibility of heading the Inter State Council Secretariat at the Secretary level for the specified period.
The official order does not provide a detailed career profile of Rajendra Kumar or list his previous assignments. It specifically identifies him by his IAS batch and cadre, his current position as Secretary, Department of Border Management and the additional responsibility being assigned to him.
The latest arrangement is therefore an administrative charge arrangement rather than a fresh appointment or transfer.
Ashish Srivastava Away on Leave
Shri Ashish Srivastava, IAS (MP:1992), is the Secretary of the Inter State Council Secretariat. The latest order states that Rajendra Kumar will hold the additional charge during Srivastava’s absence on leave from October 2 to October 11, 2026.
Ashish Srivastava is also a 1992-batch IAS officer, belonging to the Madhya Pradesh cadre. The government communication does not mention the nature or reason for his leave. It only records that his temporary absence has necessitated the assignment of additional charge to another senior officer.
The arrangement ensures that the Secretary-level responsibilities of the Inter State Council Secretariat continue to be handled during the specified period.
What the Additional Charge Means
The term “additional charge” indicates that Rajendra Kumar will take on the responsibilities of another post while continuing to hold his existing position. In this case, his primary assignment as Secretary, Department of Border Management remains unchanged.
For the period from October 2 to October 11, Kumar will therefore perform the functions associated with the Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat, in addition to his regular responsibilities.
The order does not state that Kumar has been transferred to the Inter State Council Secretariat. Nor does it state that he has been appointed as its permanent Secretary. The decision is specifically limited to an additional-charge arrangement during the leave of the incumbent.
Role of the Inter State Council Secretariat
The Inter State Council Secretariat supports the institutional framework dealing with coordination between the Union government and the States. It provides administrative support for matters concerning Centre-State relations and the functioning of the Inter State Council.
The Secretary of the Secretariat is responsible for overseeing its administrative functioning and coordinating the work undertaken through the organisation.
However, the official order does not specify any particular meetings, policy decisions or programmes that Rajendra Kumar will handle during his temporary charge. The document is limited to recording the administrative arrangement necessitated by Ashish Srivastava’s leave.
Order Issued by DoPT
The communication carries the file number No. 36/01/2026-EO(SM-I) and was issued from New Delhi on October 1, 2026.
It was issued by the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and the Department of Personnel and Training.
The order states that the Competent Authority has approved the assignment of additional charge of the post of Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat, to Rajendra Kumar for the period from October 2 to October 11, 2026.
The communication has been signed by Annie(s) Kanmani Joy, Director, who is listed with telephone number 2401 0544.
Cabinet Secretariat Reference
The official communication also refers to the Cabinet Secretariat’s ID No. 01/02/2026-CS(A) dated October 1, 2026. A copy has been sent to Ms. Kavita Singh, Joint Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, with reference to the said communication.
This forms part of the formal circulation of the additional-charge decision among the concerned offices and senior government authorities.
Wide Circulation Among Senior Officials
The order has been circulated to a broad list of senior constitutional and government authorities. The recipients include the Cabinet Secretary and the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
Copies have also been sent to the Secretary to the President of India, the Secretary to the Vice President of India, the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat and the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
The Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, and the Secretary (Coordination & PG), Cabinet Secretariat, have also been informed. Copies have additionally been circulated to all Secretaries to the Government of India as per the standard list.
The Private Secretary to the Home Minister, Private Secretaries to all Union Ministers and the Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Personnel have also been included in the distribution.
Chief Secretaries of States Also Informed
The order has also been circulated to the Chief Secretaries of all States. The officer concerned has been included in the official distribution list as well.
The Director General (Media & Communication) of the Press Information Bureau has received a copy, along with the Editor, Civil Services News and the Deputy Secretary in the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
The remaining recipients include the Principal Staff Officer to the Secretary (Personnel), Principal Private Secretary to the Establishment Officer, EO(CM), the concerned guard file and the National Informatics Centre in the Department of Personnel and Training.
The decision provides for continuity in the functioning of the Inter State Council Secretariat during the 10-day leave period of Ashish Srivastava. Rajendra Kumar, already serving as Secretary, Department of Border Management, will temporarily take on the additional responsibilities of the Secretary of the Inter State Council Secretariat.
The official order does not announce a permanent appointment, transfer or change in cadre for either officer. It simply authorises Kumar to hold the additional charge for the specified period while Srivastava is away on leave.
With the arrangement taking effect from October 2 and running through October 11, Rajendra Kumar will handle the additional Secretary-level responsibility during the period specified by the Competent Authority. Any change beyond that period would require a separate government order.
For now, the key development is that Shri Rajendra Kumar, IAS (TN:1992), Secretary, Department of Border Management, has been entrusted with the additional charge of Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat from October 2 to October 11, 2026, during the leave of Shri Ashish Srivastava, IAS (MP:1992).
