MEA had okayed Asok Kumar's appointment for International Civil Aviation Organisation

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shot down civil aviation minister Asok Gajapathi Raju’s recommendation on the appointment of the Representative of India on the council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

In a communication dated August 13, 2015 to the department of personnel and training, the civil aviation ministry stated, “The honourable minister of civil aviation has approved the name of G. Asok Kumar, IAS, (Telangana cadre): 1991 (batch) for the post of Representative of India on the Council of International Civil Aviation Organisation, Montreal. ...DoPT is requested to obtain the necessary approval of ACC with regard to the appointment of Mr. G. Asok Kumar on the post of RoI, ICAO, and convey the same to this ministry.”

The foreign service board of the ministry of external affairs also approved the proposed appointment of Mr Kumar. But in an order to the civil aviation ministry on October 28, the DoPT stated, “The appointments committee of the cabinet has approved the appointment of Alok Shekhar, IAS, (Punjab (cadre): 1994 batch) for the post of Representative of India in the Council of ICAO, Montreal, Canada under the ministry of civil aviation for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders whichever is earlier ...”.