In Himachal Pradesh, the debate and tension surrounding the selection of a new chief secretary have heated up. Within the following day or two, a notification on the appointment of the new Chief Secretary is anticipated from the state government. Prabodh Saxena, the current chief secretary, will retire on September 30. He has previously received a six-month extension, but there are ongoing legal issues around this extension. For this reason, there is very little chance that he will be extended further. Consequently, a second Chief Secretary will now serve in the Sukhu government.
There are currently two or three individuals being considered for the role of Chief Secretary. Among these, the most well-known is that of Sanjay Gupta, a senior IAS officer from the 1988 class. He is the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited’s chairman at the moment.
Seniority-wise, Sanjay Gupta’s claim is seen as the strongest, since he is now the state’s most senior IAS officer. Remarkably, Sanjay Gupta was still in a higher position than RD Dhiman when he was named Chief Secretary in the previous BJP administration. Although Sanjay Gupta and RD Dhiman are both 1988 batch officers, Dhiman was given preference by the government.
Following Dhiman’s retirement, Prabodh Saxena of the 1990 batch was appointed Chief Secretary. Thus, Sanjay Gupta was denied the Chief Secretaryship once again during the Sukhu government’s tenure. Now, the question is being raised whether he will receive this responsibility this time based on seniority.
Meanwhile, the name of current Additional Chief Secretary KK Pant is being cited as a frontrunner for the Chief Secretary position. Pant, a 1993 batch officer, is considered a trusted officer of the current government. This is why the government has entrusted him with the command of important departments like Home and Vigilance. Administrative circles believe that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has a strong inclination towards KK Pant. If the government prioritizes trustworthiness and proximity over seniority, Pant has the strongest chance of becoming Chief Secretary.
Additionally, the name of 1994-batch IAS officer Anuradha Thakur is also being discussed, but she is currently on central deputation. She holds important responsibilities there, and the likelihood of her returning to Himachal immediately is slim. This is why her name remains largely confined to discussions.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who was on a private foreign trip to London for the past few days, has now returned home. He will arrive in Shimla on Monday and will only then make a final decision on the Chief Secretary’s position.
