Kerala Ends Standoff: State Revokes Suspension of Two Senior IAS Officers B Ashok and N Prasanth
The Kerala government has revoked the suspensions of two IAS officers — B Ashok and N Prasanth — both of whom had been punished for conduct seen as critical of the state administration and its political leadership.
A prolonged chapter of administrative friction in Kerala appears to have drawn to a close. The state government has revoked the suspensions of B Ashok (IAS: 1998: KL) and N Prasanth (IAS: 2007: KL), both of whom had faced disciplinary action for conduct that put them at odds with the ruling establishment. N Prasanth was suspended in November 2024 after he publicly criticised then-Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak (IAS: 1991: KL) through posts on social media — a move deemed a violation of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules. The suspension was extended multiple times, and Prasanth had even moved the Central Administrative Tribunal seeking to initiate contempt proceedings against the Chief Secretary. B Ashok's case was more recent. He was suspended in April 2026 after giving media interviews in which he was critical of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the functioning of the state administration. The charges against him included speaking to the press without obtaining prior government approval and tarnishing the image of the government. Both officers have now been reinstated, bringing an end to two of the most high-profile administrative suspensions seen in Kerala in recent years. The revocations come amid a change in political leadership at the top following the conclusion of the state election cycle.
