Karnataka government transfers Dakshina Kannada DC Mullai Muhilan, reshuffles 16 IAS officers across key departments

The Karnataka government transfers Dakshina Kannada DC Mullai Muhilan following communal tensions and reshuffles 16 IAS officers across key departments, including health, education, and rural development, to ensure effective governance.

Bengaluru: Responding to rising criticism over failure to prevent communal tensions in Karnataka's coastal belt, the state government has transferred several senior IAS officers, including Deputy Commissioners of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

Key transfers in coastal districts following communal clashes 

The government has replaced Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan with senior IAS officer HV Darshan. This decision follows an earlier replacement of the district’s Superintendent of Police after repeated communal disturbances.

In Udupi district, TK Swaroop, currently Director of e-Governance in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, has been appointed as the new Deputy Commissioner.

Mullai Muhilan has now been posted as the Inspector General of Registration and Commissioner of Stamps.

Statewide IAS reshuffle affects 16 senior officers

 A total of 16 IAS officers, including DCs and CEOs of Zilla Panchayats, were transferred across various departments and districts. Highlights include:

• K.M. Janaki, DC of Bagalkote → Secretary, KPSC
• C. Sathyabhama, DC of Hassan → State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha
• K.S. Lata Kumari, CEO, Bangalore Urban ZP → DC, Hassan
• Dr Avinash Menon Rajendran, BBMP Special Commissioner → Project Director, National Health Mission

New appointments to health, rural development, and education 

• Nalini Atul, DC of Koppal → Secretary, KKRDB
• Suresh B. Itnal, CEO of Davangere ZP → DC, Koppal
• Dr. Y. Naveen Bhat, NHM Director → CEO, Chikkaballapur ZP
• Rahul Ratnam Pandey, CEO, Koppal ZP → Executive Director, Centre for Smart Governance

Changes in education, welfare, and other departments 

• Prakash G.T. Nittalli, CEO, Chikkaballapur ZP → Director, Mid-day Meal Scheme
• Varnit Negi, MD, Karnataka Handloom Development Corp. → CEO, Koppal ZP
• Gitte Madhav Vittal Rao, GM, Bagalkote Rehabilitation → CEO, Davangere ZP
• Sangappa, awaiting posting → DC, Bagalkote
• Garima Panwar → MD, Karnataka Handloom Development Corp.

Additional charges and reassignments

• H. Basavarajan, Chairman, KSEEB → Additional charge as Director, Flying Training School, Jakkur
• Dr Shamla Iqbal, Secretary, Horticulture & Sericulture → Secretary, Women and Child Welfare (Horticulture portfolio retained)
• Dr K.V. Trilokchandra, School Education Commissioner → Additional charge: State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha
• R. Vinoth Priya, Project Director, State AIDS Society → Additional charge: Special Officer, State Level Management Cell
• Sindhu B. Rupesh, Director, PU Education → Additional charge: Director of Public Instruction, Mid-day Meal Scheme