KOCHI: The Central Administrative Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench, on Tuesday set aside the state government’s order appointing Dr. B. Ashok, Principal Secretary to the Government (Agriculture) and Agricultural Production Commissioner, as Chairman and Managing Director of the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation.

The Tribunal issued the order on a petition filed by Dr. Ashok, challenging the decision of the General Administration (AIS) Department that displaced him from the post of Principal Secretary (Agriculture) and appointed Tinku Biswal in his place.

The petitioner argued that, since he was being appointed to a post carrying a pay scale lower than that of his cadre post, the order violated the AIS (Cadre) Rules.

The petitioner pointed out that the Tribunal had earlier set aside the state government’s order posting him as Chairperson of the Local Self-Government Reforms Commission.