Even as Union Home Minister Amit Shah is in Gujarat, two senior-most officials, Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar and DGP Ashish Bhatia have been granted an eight-month extension in service until the State Assembly elections slated for December.
Pankaj Kumar, a 1986 batch IAS officer, and Bhatia, a 1985 batch IPS officer, were scheduled to retire on May 31. The extension of both officers has been approved by the Centre.
Pankaj Kumar, who took over from Anil Mukim whose extended tenure ended in August 2021, was earlier the Additional Chief Secretary (home). He served as secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was the chief minister. Since Pankaj Kumar got a very short term as the chief secretary, speculation was rife that he would get an extension.
When the Centre posted Raj Kumar, a 1987 batch IAS officer back to Gujarat, in December 2021, it was widely believed that he would replace Pankaj Kumar. But he was appointed ACS (Home).
Bhatia, who also holds an engineering degree and was already working in a private firm, had prepared for the IPS on the insistence of his father and eventually became one.
The Cabinet Appointments Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided on Friday after receiving proposals from the Ministry of Home Affairs on May 24.
“As a particular circumstance in the public interest,” the judgement was made “in relaxation of Rule 16(1) of the All India Services (Death cum Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958.”
After incumbent Shivanand Jha’s term ended, Ahmedabad police commissioner Ashish Bhatia was appointed to the post of Gujarat DGP in July 2020.
