Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi Gets One-Year Extension

The Centre has approved a one-year extension for Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, who was set to retire on June 30. The extension will run from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

The Department of Personnel and Training conveyed this decision to the Haryana government on Thursday, following a request from the Nayab Saini administration for Rastogi's continuation in office.

Disappointment for Senior Officers

The extension has dashed hopes of nine senior officers who were in line for the top post. Four officers from the 1990 batch - Sudhir Rajpal, Sumita Misra, Anand Mohan Sharan, and Raja Shekhar Vundru - along with five from the 1991 batch - Vineet Garg, Anil Malik, G Anupama, AK Singh, and Abhilaksh Likhi - were in contention for the position.

Seniority Controversy

Interestingly, Rastogi holds the third position in Haryana's gradation list but became Chief Secretary in February when Vivek Joshi was appointed Election Commissioner. While officers Rajpal and Misra rank above him, Rastogi benefited from an ongoing seniority dispute among 1990 batch officers regarding their original cadre allocations.

Extending the tenure of retiring Chief Secretaries has become increasingly common as Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Rastogi's batchmate, received a six-month extension in March

Similarly, Odisha's Manoj Ahuja got a one-year extension, while UP's DS Mishra enjoyed three extensions totalling two and a half years before retiring last year. The trend reflects governments' preference for retaining experienced administrators they trust, often overriding conventional succession patterns.