In 4th extension, Home Secretary Bhalla gets another year

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been given a one-year extension till August 22 next year, according to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training on Friday. The current extended tenure of Bhalla, a 1984-batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre IAS officer, was till August 22. His extension comes a day after Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba was given a one-year extension, his third extension, beyond August 30, 2023.

Bhalla’s service extension has been approved by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet.  This is the fourth time Bhalla has been given an extension. He was appointed Home Secretary on August 22, 2019. He was supposed to attain superannuation on November 30, 2020 after attaining 60 years of age. However, a few days before that, the government extended his tenure till August 22, 2021.