New Delhi/Mumbai: Senior Indian Telecommunication Service (ITS) officer Rakesh Shrivastava (ITS:1997), who had been serving as the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA), has been prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre on personal grounds, according to an official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday.
The order states that the competent authority has approved the repatriation with the condition of an extended cooling-off period, a standard measure typically imposed to ensure procedural integrity when an officer returns to their home cadre before completing their deputation.
Background and Tenure
Mr. Shrivastava was appointed as CVO of the Mumbai Port Authority in September 2020, with a clear mandate to oversee integrity and vigilance functions at one of India’s key maritime infrastructure hubs. His initial tenure was set to end in September 2023, but it was extended by two more years, taking it to September 2025.
However, the repatriation now comes about three months ahead of the extended term’s conclusion, suggesting a voluntary request backed by personal considerations.
Implications and Next Steps
While the DoPT has not announced his next posting, officials familiar with such developments noted that repatriation with an extended cooling-off period typically bars the officer from returning to a similar deputation role for a defined time. The Mumbai Port Authority is now expected to receive a new CVO appointment in the coming weeks.
As vigilance positions are critical for institutional transparency, especially in major infrastructure sectors like ports, the replacement process will likely be closely watched by stakeholders.
