Srinagar: Ending a week-long uncertainty, BVR Subrahmanyam on Monday handed over the charge of the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary to Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, officials said.
Mehta, an AGMUT cadre IAS officer of the 1988 batch, was appointed the Chief Secretary on May 29 while Subrahmanyam was posted as Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Commerce, Government of India.
While Mehta began working as Chief Secretary on May 31, Subrahmanyam did not hand over the charge immediately.
The situation led to criticism from several quarters, like the National Conference and the Congress.
Subrahmanyam, a Chhattisgarh cadre IAS officer, was appointed the Chief Secretary of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state in June 2018 and oversaw its transition to a union territory after the Centre abrogated Articles 370 and 35-A of the Constitution.
Mehta has vast administrative experience in both Jammu and Kashmir and the Government of India.
Previously he has served in the Government of Jammu and Kashmir as Financial Commissioner, Finance Department; Principal Secretary, Power Development Department; and Commissioner Secretary, Information Technology Department among other important positions.
He has also served in the Union Government as Additional Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change between 2015 and 2019, and Joint Secretary, Urban Development between 2008 and 2012.
