When you keep witnessing frequent surprises they become a new normal. But this is something which is still a rare one. Abrupt lateral shift and premature repatriation of Govt of India Secretaries no longer give any surprise now. But if a Govt of India Secretary is counting days from over a month now under ‘Awaiting posting order’ it certainly compels to think of.  

Coal Secretary Sumanta Chaudhary (IAS:1985:WB) was, on September 20, 2019, abruptly shunted out and Anil Kumar Jain (IAS:1986:MP) was announced as his successor as the new Coal Secretary. Sumanta’s fate hangs in balance leaving his peers clueless about NaMo administration’s next move about his new assignment in Govt of India.