The Telangana government has taken action against senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal. While serving as the Special Chief Secretary of the Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture (YAT&C) Department and overseeing preparations for the Miss World 2025 pageant, she has been transferred back to her previous role as Member Secretary of the Telangana State Finance Commission. On Sunday, April 27, 2025, the government issued orders transferring 20 IAS officers in a major reshuffle. Sabharwal’s reposting of an AI-generated image related to the Kancha Gachibowli land dispute, which was perceived as critical of the government, recently sparked controversy. The Gachibowli police issued her a notice to provide an explanation, and since then, speculation about her inevitable transfer has been rife. With this decision, the government has effectively removed her from the responsibility of managing the prestigious Miss World pageant. The additional charge of the YAT&C Department, previously handled by Sabharwal, has been assigned to Jayesh Ranjan, who will now oversee the Miss World pageant preparations.
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