Chandigarh: In a first major administrative reshuffle by the newly formed BJP government in Haryana, 26 senior IAS officers were transferred including those considered close to previous chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

26 senior IAS officers of the rank of Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries were transferred last night with immediate effect, an official spokesman said here today.

Among those transferred included Hooda's "close" officers who were at the helm of affairs for about a decade.

They are former principal secretary to chief minister, SS Dhillon, former principal secretary town and country planning department, Urban Estates, Forests and Wildlife, TC Gupta and former additional principal secretary to chief minister, KK Khandelwal.

While Dhillon becomes new Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Tourism, Archeology and Museums, Gupta goes as Principal Secretary School Education.

Khandelwal has been transferred as Additional Chief Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs.

PK Mahapatra has been posted as ACS home while PK Das becomes principal secretary finance and planning.

P Raghavandra Rao has been posted as ACS town and country planning and housing, Devender Singh becomes new principal secretary industries and commerce and electronics and information technology.

Rajan Kumar Gupta has been posted as ACS power and renewable energy while RR Jowel goes as principal secretary irrigation.

Roshan Lal has been posted as ACS excise and taxation and mines and geology whereas Navraj Sandhu becomes ACS development and panchayat.

While Hardeep Kumar has been transferred as ACS public works and architecture, S S Prasad goes as ACS food and supplies and industrial training.

RP Chander has been posted as ACS medical education and research and women and child development while S K Gulati goes as ACS social justice and empowerment.

Ram Niwas has been shifted as ACS Health while Dhanpat Singh becomes ACS agriculture.

Vijai Vardhan will be ACS higher education and Shashi Bala Gulati will be principal secretary labour and employment.

Alok Nigam will be principal secretary public health engineering and corporation.

Dheera Khandelwal has been posted as principal secretary technical education while Amit Jha becomes principal secretary forests.

SN Roy has been posted as principal secretary urban local bodies while Avtar Singh becomes principal secretary transport and civil aviation.