In a key administrative move, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday (October 4, 2025) appointed senior IAS officer H Rajesh Prasad (IAS:1995:AGMUT) as the Chief Secretary of Chandigarh.
Prasad, an officer of the AGMUT cadre, is currently serving as Principal Secretary of the Power Development Department in Jammu and Kashmir, a position he has held since September 22, 2022. Notably, Jammu and Kashmir is now part of the joint AGMUT cadre, which also includes Ladakh.
He succeeds Mandip Singh Brar (IAS:2005:HY), Home Secretary, UT Administration, who was holding additional charge of Chief Secretary, Chandigarh, following the appointment of Rajeev Verma (IAS:1992:AGMUT) as Chief Secretary of Delhi. Verma had earlier served as Adviser to the Chandigarh Administrator since February 2024.
In January 2025, the MHA restructured the UT’s top administrative framework by creating the post of Chief Secretary in Chandigarh, replacing the earlier position of Adviser to the Administrator. Verma thus became the first Chief Secretary of Chandigarh after this change. Before his tenure in Chandigarh, he served as Chief Secretary of Puducherry.
Further, the MHA transferred Ankur Garg (IAS:2003:AGMUT) from Arunachal Pradesh as Advisor to the Administrator, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (DNH&DD).
Also Read: Rajeev Verma appointed Delhi Chief Secretary
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