As one walks down the Hill along the Rajpath, now renamed Kartavya Path, come other edifices — Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Shashtri Bhavan, and Kartavya Bhavan on one side and Sena Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, and Vanijya Bhavan on the other. The bureaucrats who adorn the offices in these buildings decide on India's economic, social, and industrial policies. There are many tales to be told from the corridors of these grandiose buildings. We let you in on some of them here in this week's edition of "Inside Raisina Hill".

Bureaucracy's Power Couples

Of late, the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has been flooded with requests for a change in the cadre from Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers on the grounds of marriage. The trends for the past couple of years show that a majority of them prefer Haryana and Punjab cadres. To date, at least 66 IAS and IPS couples across the two states form one of the largest known clusters of civil service couples in the country.

Inter-cadre transfer is not permitted to an officer’s home state. However, the rules permit a change of cadre under specific circumstances. The sheer scale of this in the region has sparked whispers within bureaucratic circles about cadre management, institutional balance and the growing presence of "power couples" in governance. The transfer is typically to the cadre of either of the spouses.

These officers include Utsav Anand (IAS: 2022), who was moved from Uttar Pradesh to Haryana in January 2025 after marrying Anjali Shrotriya (IAS: HY). Also, Rahul Modi (IAS: 2020) was moved from Tripura to Haryana in September 2023 after marrying Deepti Garg (IPS: HY), and Anupama Anjali (IAS: 2018) has been moved from AP to Haryana.

UPSC Office Pitched For Bengaluru

In a significant move to ensure North-South parity in accessing civil services examinations, the Karnataka government has recently written to the Central government seeking permission to establish a regional office of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in Bengaluru.

In the letter, Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh (IAS:1989) requested the intervention of Secretary DoPT Rachana Shah (IAS: 1991: KL) to initiate action at the earliest for setting up a UPSC regional office in the state capital.

The Chief Secretary underlined the need for such an office to improve administrative efficiency in conducting examinations and related processes while ensuring equitable access to the UPSC aspirants from Karnataka and other southern states. At present, most UPSC-related operations and support mechanisms are concentrated in the northern region, particularly around Delhi, creating logistical and accessibility challenges for aspirants from southern India.

MCD Commissioner Appointed

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has appointed 1994-batch IAS officer of AGMUT cadre Sanjeev Khirwar as the new Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

The MHA’s move marks a high-profile return for the veteran bureaucrat to the core of the National Capital’s administrative architecture. He replaces Ashwani Kumar (IAS: 1992: AGMUT), who has been sent on a strategic posting in Jammu & Kashmir.

Khirwar’s appointment follows his brief stint in Ladakh, where he was moved from Delhi in 2022. His return, formalised in the first week of January 2026, is seen as a tactical move by the MHA to leverage his deep familiarity with Delhi’s layered and complex governance architecture.

Wankhede Gets Relief From CAT

Controversial Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of 2008-batch Sameer Wankhede has received a major relief from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which set aside the disciplinary charge memorandum issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and restrained the board from proceeding any further against the officer on the basis of the impugned charge.

It is also learnt from sources that the CAT took a strong exception to the conduct of the authorities, and it held that the CBIC acted with “malice, vendetta, bias and ulterior motives”, while observing that the disciplinary action appeared to be aimed at harassing and humiliating the officer rather than enforcing discipline.

The CAT Bench comprising Justice Ranjit More and Rajinder Kashyap delivered the verdict, holding that the charge memorandum issued to Wankhede was driven by biased considerations. The Bench categorically restrained the CBIC from proceeding further on the basis of the charge memorandum.

‘Champion of Change’ RVNL

Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna Central Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Champion of Change’ CSR Award at the 17th CSR Leadership Summit 2026, held in the National Capital.

The award recognises RVNL’s high-impact Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, underscoring its commitment to inclusive growth, community development, and sustainable nation-building alongside its core role in infrastructure development.

A key highlight of RVNL’s CSR interventions is its focus on Aspirational Districts, particularly Narainpur district in Chhattisgarh’s remote Abujhmarh region. Home to the primitive Madiya tribal community, the area has historically faced geographical isolation, socio-economic challenges, and left-wing extremism. RVNL’s sustained CSR efforts in this region include initiatives aimed at education, healthcare, skill development, and livelihood promotion, reflecting a commitment to reaching underserved and project-affected communities. These impactful interventions were a major factor in RVNL receiving the award.