The Maharashtra government has yet to appoint a successor to Chief Secretary Nitin Kareer (IAS:1988:MH), who retired on Saturday. Originally scheduled to retire on March 31, Kareer given a three-month extension, which expires today.
In the power corridors of Mumbai and Delhi, there is a buzz not only about who will be the next chief but also about the surprising delay in the appointment to the top post. Three names are being considered for the position: Sujata Saunik (IAS:1987:MH), Rajesh Kumar (IAS:1988:MH), and Iqbal Singh Chahal (IAS:1989:MH), all of whom are Additional Chief Secretary rank officers.
Among them, the front-runner is Sujata Saunik, the senior-most bureaucrat in the state. She was previously superseded twice, first by her husband Manoj Saunik (Retd IAS:1987;MH) and then by Kareer, when they were appointed Chief Secretary.
According to our sources, it is almost certain that she will not miss the top post this time, as the state government has finalized her name. If no last-minute changes are made, she will make history as the first woman Chief Secretary of the state.
