Bhopal | February 14, 2026
In a significant Madhya Pradesh IAS transfer reshuffle 2026, the Madhya Pradesh Government transferred 11 senior IAS officers in a late-night administrative overhaul, triggering sharp political reactions from the Opposition Madhya Pradesh Congress.
The reshuffle order, issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) at around 1:55 a.m. on Saturday, comes ahead of the rollout of the new excise policy in Madhya Pradesh, adding further political intensity to the move.
Key IAS Transfers in Madhya Pradesh 2026
• Ashok Barnwal, Additional Chief Secretary, has been appointed as the new head of the Health Department, replacing Sandeep Yadav.
• Sandeep Yadav has been posted as Principal Secretary, Forest Department, along with an additional charge of the NRI Department.
• Senior IAS officer Manish Singh returns as Commissioner, Public Relations Department, while continuing as Transport Secretary.
• Deepak Saxena, who served four months as Public Relations Commissioner, has been appointed Excise Commissioner, replacing Abhijit Agrawal.
• Abhijit Agrawal has been transferred as Managing Director of the State Cooperative Marketing Federation.
The transfer of Abhijit Agrawal assumes significance as it comes just before the implementation of the state’s revised excise policy framework.
District-Level and Departmental Changes
The administrative reshuffle also includes major postings at district and departmental levels:
• Ajay Gupta moves from Director of Farmer Welfare and Agriculture Development to Managing Director of the East Region Power Distribution Company, Jabalpur.
• Umashankar Bhargava returns from Raj Bhavan to serve as Director of Farmer Welfare and Agriculture Development.
• Sunil Dubey, CEO of Bhind District Panchayat, has been appointed Deputy Secretary to the Governor.
• Sanghmitra Gautam is posted as CEO, Alirajpur District Panchayat.
• Nanda Bhalave Kushre becomes Additional Project Director under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).
• Kamal Solanki has been appointed CEO of Raisen District Panchayat.
Congress Targets MP Government Over Excise Department Allegations
Reacting strongly to the IAS reshuffle in Madhya Pradesh, the Madhya Pradesh Congress alleged that the transfers were aimed at protecting “corrupt elements” within the Excise Department.
In a statement posted on X, the party questioned the accountability of officials, raising concerns over:
• Alleged ₹75 crore fake challan scam in Indore
• Reported toxic liquor deaths in Jabalpur, where more than 15 people allegedly lost their lives
• Alleged irregularities involving Som Distilleries
The Congress statement read:
“Transferred, but what about accountability? Abhijit Agrawal gave shelter to corrupt elements in the excise department; ₹75 crore fake challans in Indore, over 15 deaths due to toxic liquor in Jabalpur — no action taken!”