Had scripted history in March by becoming first IAS officer to get extension on post
S Gopal Puri
Shimla:
As Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena’s six-month service extension ends on September 30, 2025, speculation is rife in bureaucratic and political corridors whether he will get another unprecedented extension or will the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government appoint a new face to the state’s top bureaucratic post?
This uncertainty has reignited lobbying among senior IAS officers, with the Chief Secretary’s chair — along with the posts of Himachal Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) Chairman and Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) — all set to witness new appointments this month.
Multiple high-ranking bureaucrats are believed to be in contention, each with their own networks and equations with the current political leadership.
Sanjay Gupta on top in seniority list
At the top of the seniority list stands Sanjay Gupta, a 1988-batch IAS officer currently serving as Principal Adviser to the Chief Minister and Chairman of the Electricity Board. Gupta is due for retirement in May 2026. Though many expected him to be the natural choice for Chief Secretary after Saxena, sources said his focus had shifted toward securing the HERC Chairman’s post, a five-year tenure that offers more administrative autonomy.
This positioning, if true, opens the door wider for KK Pant, a 1993-batch IAS officer and currently Additional Chief Secretary handling critical portfolios like Home, Revenue, Forest and Vigilance. Pant is considered a strong contender and enjoys both administrative credibility and reasonable proximity to the current government.
Next in line by seniority is Onkar Chand Sharma (1994 batch), who was at one time seen as a serious aspirant for the Chief Secretary post. However, his chances appear to have dipped significantly following the allegedly controversial suicide case of Chief Engineer Vimal Negi.
Onkar Chand Sharma’s handling of the internal report reportedly drew the displeasure of CM Sukhvinder Sukhu, resulting in the withdrawal of key departments from his charge. He now only holds the tribal development portfolio, indicating a drift from the inner power circle.
Another name doing the rounds is that of Anuradha Thakur, currently on central deputation. Though absent from the state for now, Thakur did meet CM Sukhu at Himachal Bhawan in Delhi recently, a meeting that has fuelled fresh speculation about her possible return to assume the top post.
RD Nazim, another senior bureaucrat, is also in contention and is reportedly on the Chief Secretary panel, although not much is known about his active lobbying efforts.
Will Prabodh Saxena make history again?
Prabodh Saxena had already made history earlier this year by becoming the first Chief Secretary in Himachal’s history to receive a service extension, a move that caught even senior aspirants off guard.
The extension, which came through a quietly processed file with the Centre, was announced unexpectedly during his farewell party in March 2025. Since then, murmurs within the bureaucracy suggest that another extension, while not impossible, could deepen frustration among superseded officers.
