The Kerala Government has appointed Dr. A. Jayathilak, a 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre, as the next Chief Secretary of the state. He will succeed Ms. Sarada Muraleedharan (1990-batch Kerala cadre IAS officer), who had assumed charge in August last year following the retirement of her husband, Mr. V. Venu, also a 1990-batch IAS officer. Dr. Jayathilak is set to serve as Chief Secretary until his superannuation in June 2026.
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Dr. Jayathilak, who last served as Additional Chief Secretary in the Kerala Government, has held several significant positions over the course of his career. These include his role as Chairman of the Spices Board and, at various times, additional charge as Chairman of the Rubber Board. His administrative trajectory has seen him lead critical departments such as Finance, Taxes and Excise, Personnel and Administrative Reforms, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
In May 2023, he was appointed Additional Chief Secretary of the Taxes and Excise Department. Later, in March 2025, he was made Member Secretary of the Kerala State Planning Board, while continuing to hold responsibilities in the Finance Department.
However, his career has also seen controversy. In late 2024, a dispute surfaced between Dr. Jayathilak and fellow IAS officer Mr. N. Prasanth over an adverse report prepared by Dr. Jayathilak during Mr. Prasanth’s tenure as CEO of ‘Unnathi – Kerala Empowerment Society’. Mr. Prasanth alleged that the report included fabricated claims about missing files and attendance irregularities, sparking a war of words and legal action.
Dr. Jayathilak’s own attendance came under scrutiny, with reports showing that he was present in the Secretariat for fewer than 10 days in most months over a 23-month span, despite receiving full salary and allowances. He had cited the ‘other duty’ designation for his absences, though records did not indicate he was assigned any external responsibilities during most of that period.
Additionally, in January 2024, the Kerala High Court issued a show cause notice to Dr. Jayathilak for issuing a government order that allegedly contravened the court’s directions. The court had directed his personal appearance in the matter.
Despite the controversies, Dr. Jayathilak’s appointment to the top bureaucratic post underscores his long-standing experience and seniority in the state’s administrative structure. His term as Chief Secretary will be closely watched for both governance and transparency.
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