Union Govt tweaks rules to give third extension to cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba

The union government, on Thursday, gave another year extension to cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, relaxing key rules in the process.

This is the third time his service has been extended for another year ensuring that Gauba will soon become the longest-serving cabinet secretary in the country. As he will remain in office till 30 August 2024, Gauba will be country’s top bureaucrat during the general election next year.

Gauba, a former Union home secretary, was in 2019 appointed to the country’s top bureaucratic post for two years. He was given one-year extension in 2021 and then in August last year.

The extension was granted in relaxation of the AIS (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958 and Rule 56 (d) of the Fundamental Rules.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the service extension for Gauba, a 1982-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Jharkhand cadre, for a period of one year beyond 30 August 2023. The committee is composed of the PM and the ministry of home affairs.

Gauba is said to be the key architect of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, under which the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two Union territories following the abrogation of the special status given to it under Article 370 of the Constitution.

He had also served as secretary in the Union Urban Development Ministry, additional secretary in the Home Ministry, looking after the crucial left-wing extremism division, among other responsibilities.

Another such bureaucratic extension had reached the Supreme Court. The union government had sought extension for director of the Enforcement Directorate Sanjay Kumar Mishra stating that Mishra's absence in the ongoing Financial Action Task Force (FATF) review would have an adverse effect.

The Supreme Court allowed him to stay until September 15. The top court, while extending Mishra's tenure, said the Centre's application was only considered because it was in the nation's interest.

This comes after the top court, on July 11, said the third extension for Mishra was illegal and in violation of its judgment in 2021. It had, however, permitted him to continue in office until July 31 to allow for a "smooth transfer".

The central government then filed an urgent application in the Supreme Court seeking an extension of the ED chief's tenure. The government said it was essential to have an individual like Mishra at the helm of affairs as ED chief as he is well-acquainted with the overall status of money laundering investigations.

The union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla too was given his third extension last year in August. His term is scheduled to end by 22 August 2023. Bhalla, a 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, was appointed as the Home Secretary in August 2019. He was set to retire in November 2020.

His tenure was extended for one year till August 22, 2022, in August last year for the second time. Bhalla's tenure as Home Secretary was extended till August 22, 2021 for the first time in October 2020.

With PTI inputs