Bengaluru: Going by seniority, the State Government yesterday appointed Additional Chief Secretary P. Ravi Kumar, a 1984 batch IAS officer, as the new Chief Secretary of Karnataka. 

The incumbent Chief Secretary, T.M. Vijay Bhaskar, will retire today following his supera-nnuation. 58-year-old Ravi Kumar is the second senior-most IAS officer of Karnataka cadre after Bhaskar. Bhaskar took charge of the administration in July 2018 following the retirement of the then Chief Secretary Rathna Prabha. 

The Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DPAR) in an official notification appointed Kumar as the Chief Secretary and he is expected to take charge today.

Ravi Kumar has been serving as the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government since September along with the additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary to IT/BT and Science and Technology Department.

The Government is yet to announce who will take charge of Ravi Kumar’s current responsibilities. Ravi Kumar was a favourite for the post given his position as Additional Chief Secretary to the Government which is considered as second in line. 

In his previous roles, he has served as an Additional Chief Secretary (Power), Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister of Karnataka among other top posts.