THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After falling out of favour with the previous LDF government, IAS officers N Prasanth and B Ashok are set to return to service under the UDF regime. Chief Minister V D Satheesan revoked the suspension orders against both officers on Saturday, with their fresh postings expected soon.
Both officers had been highly critical of the Pinararyi Vijayan government. While 2007 batch IAS officer Prasanth had been under suspension for two years, his senior Ashok, of the 1998 batch, underwent the disciplinary action for one-and-a-half months.
Prasanth was suspended on November 11, 2024, for criticising chief secretary A Jayathilak on social media. Multiple extensions followed. Ashok was suspended in April following an interview in which he allegedly criticised Pinarayi and LDF government’s functioning.
The charges levelled against Ashok included speaking to the media without permission and tarnishing government’s image.
Notably, Prasanth was suspended on the same day that IAS officer K Gopalakrishnan faced action for creating a WhatsApp group allegedly based on religion.
Prasanth’s suspension was extended multiple times
It was the for first time in the history of Kerala’s civil service that two IAS officers were suspended on the same day.
However, while the government later lifted Gopalakrishnan’s suspension, the disciplinary action that was taken against Prasanth was extended multiple times.
Just before the Pinarayi government stepped down, disciplinary action was taken against Prasanth yet again, marking the ninth time such an action was initiated.
The latest move was triggered by an article he wrote for an English daily regarding the state government’s lottery sales.
The article was allegedly published without prior permission. Prasanth’s suspension was initially set to end on May 4.
Ashok was suspended while he was serving as the principal secretary of the sainik welfare department.
In the run-up to the recent assembly elections, the former civil servant had spoken to various media outlets in a manner that allegedly criticised government policies.