by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
special report
Who will Country's Top Spy ? Modi to decide
Aruna Sundaram in race to be new Cabinet Secretary
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, June 25
All eyes are set on the two crucial posts to be filled by the Modi government- Cabinet Secretary and Director, Intelligence Bureau. Both occupants of these vital posts were given extensions in 2018 itself since General Elections were due. Since these are fixed terms posts, extensions were given to P K Sinha (Cabinet Secretary) and Rajiv Jain ( IB Director) adhering to conventions so that a new government is free to bring officers of its choice. Therefore, it was expected that once re-elected, Modi will induct new officers to these two key posts after assuming charge on May 30.
But in a surprise development, incumbent P K Sinha was given three months extension days before the Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba was set to be promoted. In order to extend the tenure of Sinha by three months, the Modi government even amended 40 year rule as well. Now uncertainty has crept in as Rajiv Gauba, an IAS officer of the 1982 batch of Jharkhand cadre, will retire on August 30 while Sinha's extended tenure will end on September 12.
No one is sure in the bureaucracy if Gauba will be promoted though he is rated very high. Insiders in the government say that this may open sea of opportunities for another brilliant officer Aruna Sundararajan who is Telecom Secretary and Chairman of the Telecom Commission. A 1982 batch IAS officer from Kerala Cadre, Ms Sundararajan, is one of the most senior civil servants of the IAS.
Similarly, uncertainty continues in the country's premier intelligence agency, the IB where its director Rajiv Jain was given three months' extension. He was lready on six months' extension and rewarded with another three months jeopardising the prospects of senior-most number two Arvind Kumar, an IPS officer of 1984 batch of Assam-Meghalaya cadre. While other senior officers have already retired in IB as Rajiv Jain was given two consecutive extensions.
If cources are to be believed, the name of Rakesh Asthana, an IPS officer of DG rank, is being discussed for the top post. He is considered close to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Since IB directly reports to Amit Shah after the change of guards at the North Block, sources say that the new Home Minister is pushing for his favourite officer.
Ends
