P. J. Thomas (I. A. S)

P. J. Thomas (I. A. S) Biography

Polayil Joseph Thomas is an Indian Administrative Officer from Kerala, belonging to 1973 batch. He has served as 14th Chief Vigilance Commissioner of India that came under Supreme Court's review. The appointment and the subsequent quashing led to many hot debates during the time of appointment. He was appointed on March 3, 2011. P. J. Thomas was appointed as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner in September 2010, by the President of India. He was recommended by a High Powered Committee (HPC) headed by the Prime Minister of India, which also marked some controversies. He was the founder director of the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode.

He was born in a middle class family of Alappuzha in January 13, 1951. He was a brilliant student right from the school days. He completed post-graduation in Physics and Economics. He was one of the toppers in the Civil Services Examination in the year 1973. Thus he joined Indian civil service. His elder brother, Johny Joseph, is also an IAS officer who passed the civil service exams one year earlier. Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala and Secretary in Finance, Industry, Agriculture, Law and Justice and Human Resource Development Departments are the major posts held by Thomas.

Thomas was instrumental in introducing electronic voting machine in all stages of election in Kerala. He became the Kerala Chief Secretary in 2007. In 2009, he was appointed as the Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. Thomas was the Telecom Secretary while 3G Spectrum auction happened. Palmolein oil import scam happened in 1992 when K. Karunakaran was the Chief Minister of Kerala. Thomas, was then the Secretary of Food and Civil Supplies.

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Updated: March 01, 2014