CABINET SECRETARY GETS TO STAY

The one-year extension of Cabinet secretary P.K. Sinha’s tenure has not come as a surprise to many in Dilli. Though the Cabinet secretary’s post is for a fixed tenure of two years, like home and foreign secretaries, Cabinet secretaries usually gets extension mainly because often the Prime Minister does not want to take risks in experimenting with a new hand at the level. So, there is a precedent. Two of Mr Sinha’s predecessors — K.M. Chandrasekhar and Ajit K. Seth — served for four years each, due to several extensions.

Sources say that it’s just possible that Mr Sinha, a 1977 batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer, may end up getting a four-year-term. Though, again, as with his predecessors, extension of tenure does deny other eligible IAS officers the opportunity to occupy the top post in the bureaucracy. Remember the extensions of Mr Chandrasekhar denied the hope of Sudha Pillai of 1972 batch IAS to become India’s first woman Cabinet secretary. It was the case with Mr Seth too.

Interestingly, by extending Mr Sinha’s tenure, the PMO has ensured that all contenders of 1980 and 1981 batch of IAS, except noticeably revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia, would have retired.

So could it be that Mr Adhia is in line to succeed Sinha as India’s next Cabinet secretary. But babu buzz does not a Cabinet secretary make. So don’t hold your breath guys. The jury (and Modi) is still out!