Former IPS officer Praveen Vashista takes oath as Vigilance Commissioner in CVC

In a key development, former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Bihar cadre, Praveen Vashista (IPS:1991:BH), on Friday (January 16, 2026) took oath as a Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). He was administered the oath of office by Central Vigilance Commissioner P K Srivastava.

With Vashista’s induction, the Central Vigilance Commission is now functioning at full strength. The anti-corruption watchdog is headed by a Central Vigilance Commissioner and can have a maximum of two Vigilance Commissioners. As per rules, a Vigilance Commissioner holds office for four years or until attaining the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

Vashista was appointed as a Vigilance Commissioner last month. Since the post is a constitutional position, he was required to demit government service prior to assuming office and, accordingly, sought voluntary retirement from the Central and Bihar governments.

Although the rules mandate a three-month notice period for voluntary retirement, the Bihar government, considering the significance of his appointment, relaxed the requirement. As per a notification issued by the state Home Department, the mandatory notice period was waived, allowing him to retire with immediate effect.

Prior to his appointment, Vashista was serving as Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

A 1991-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, Vashista has had a distinguished career spanning over three decades, handling a wide range of responsibilities in law enforcement, internal security, crisis management, and administration.

During his tenure in Bihar, he served as Inspector General in the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). He also held key field assignments as Superintendent of Police in districts such as Ranchi, Dumka, and Garhwa.

At the central level, Vashista served in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as Superintendent of Police and later as Deputy Inspector General. During his central deputation in the Ministry of Home Affairs, he held several crucial positions, including Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary, and Special Secretary (Internal Security).