New Delhi: The Central Government has approved the premature repatriation of IAS officer Sanjay Kumar (2008 batch, AGMUT) to his parent cadre, AGMUT, from the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Kumar, who is currently serving as Deputy Election Commissioner in the ECI, has been repatriated on personal grounds following a proposal from the Election Commission.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on August 24, 2026, the competent authority approved his premature repatriation to the AGMUT cadre.
His tenure in the Election Commission was otherwise scheduled to continue until January 26, 2027.
Joined Central Deputation in 2022
Sanjay Kumar had initially joined central deputation on January 27, 2022, when he was appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) under the Ministry of Finance.
He was initially appointed for a five-year central deputation tenure.
Later, in August 2024, Kumar was shifted from DIPAM to the Election Commission of India and appointed as Deputy Secretary at the Joint Secretary level for the remaining period of his central deputation.
He took charge as Deputy Election Commissioner in the ECI on August 6, 2024.
With his premature repatriation, Kumar will now return to his parent AGMUT cadre, comprising the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories segment.
Who Is IAS Sanjay Kumar?
Sanjay Kumar is a 2008-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre. Born on May 15, 1981, he has held several important administrative positions during his career.
He holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Delhi University, an M.A. in Political Science from Annamalai University, and a postgraduate qualification in International Economic Development and Regional Planning from MIT, USA.
Before joining the Election Commission, Kumar served in various administrative capacities, including assignments as Director, Deputy Secretary, Secretary, Excise Commissioner, Commissioner, District Collector and Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner.
He also served as Secretary, Revenue in Goa, apart from his stint as Deputy Secretary in DIPAM.
His career has included assignments across different territories under the AGMUT cadre as well as central government postings.
Sanjay Kumar’s ECI Tenure
Kumar joined the Election Commission in August 2024 after being shifted from DIPAM.
As Deputy Election Commissioner, he was associated with the functioning of the constitutional election machinery at the national level.
His tenure at the ECI was originally linked to the balance period of his five-year central deputation, which was due to end on January 26, 2027.
However, the latest DoPT order brings his central deputation to an early end following the ECI’s proposal for his repatriation on personal grounds.
Ashish Chatterjee Also Repatriated to Tamil Nadu
In another separate development, the Centre has also approved the premature repatriation of IAS officer Ashish Chatterjee (1999 batch, Tamil Nadu cadre) to his parent cadre.
Chatterjee was serving as Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Ministry of Steel. His repatriation was approved following a request from the Tamil Nadu Government.
According to a DoPT order issued on August 20, 2026, his repatriation has been approved with an extended cooling-off period.
Chatterjee had been serving as Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Ministry of Steel since April 18, 2025.
A 1999-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, Chatterjee has held several senior assignments during his career, including Principal Secretary, Commissioner, Managing Director of TRIFED, Joint Secretary, Private Secretary to a Minister of State, District Collector and Magistrate, Deputy Commissioner, Resident Commissioner, Joint Commissioner, Sub Collector and Assistant Collector.
At the Centre, he has served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Managing Director of TRIFED. He has also served on the boards of public sector companies including SAIL, GAIL and IndianOil as a Government Director.
The two repatriation orders come as separate cadre-management decisions involving senior IAS officers serving on central deputation.
