Thiruvananthapuram: The Pinarayi Vijayan led Kerala Government has appointed Dr. A Jayathilak, a 1991-batch IAS officer, as the new Chief Secretary of Kerala, succeeding Sarada Muraleedharan (IAS: 1990: KL), who is set to retire at the end of April. Dr. Jayathilak will serve in the top bureaucratic post until his retirement in June 2026.
Mr Jayathilak, who currently holds the position of Additional Chief Secretary (Finance), brings over three decades of administrative experience across various key departments.
He has held several significant positions over the course of his career. His career began as Subcollector of Mananthavady, and he has since held significant roles such as District Collector of Kollam and Kozhikode, Managing Director of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, Chairman of the Spices Board, and Secretary of Water Resources and Disaster Management.
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.
In an Interview to media, Mr Jayathilak expressed gratitude for the appointment, saying, “When we become IAS, we never dream of becoming the Chief Secretary. But this is really gratifying.” He highlighted the Wayanad Township Project and ongoing infrastructure initiatives as top priorities during his tenure.
IAS Sarada Muraleedharan had taken over as Chief Secretary in August 2024, following the retirement of her husband and batchmate V Venu. Her relatively short tenure comes to an end amid speculation over her successor, with Manoj Joshi (IAS: 1989), currently on central deputation as Secretary, Land Resources, also in contention.
Mr Jayathilak’s appointment, however, comes under a cloud of controversy. He has been served legal notices by suspended IAS officer N. Prasanth, who has accused Jayathilak, along with IAS officer K. Gopalakrishnan and a media house, of document fabrication, defamation, and criminal conspiracy. The charges stem from an ongoing dispute within the state’s IAS circle, which Jayathilak has declined to comment on publicly.
Despite these developments, the government has moved forward with his appointment, citing his administrative track record and experience. His leadership will be closely watched as the state continues rehabilitation efforts in Wayanad, especially for survivors of the July 2024 landslides, and navigates a complex financial and political environment.
