Race for RERA Chairman: HP Chief Secretary, CIC in the fray

Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena (IAS:1990:HP), who is set to retire on March 31, 2025, along with nearly half a dozen other serving and retired bureaucrats, has applied for the post of the state Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Chairman.

0

Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena (IAS:1990:HP), who is set to retire on March 31, 2025, along with nearly half a dozen other serving and retired bureaucrats, has applied for the post of the state Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Chairman.

Applications were sought by Thursday for the RERA Chairman’s post, as well as for two vacant Member positions. Sources say that apart from Saxena, former Chief Secretary RD Dhiman (Retd.IAS:1988:HP), currently serving as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), has also applied for the post. RERA Chairman’s post laying vacant since December 12, 2024, when Dr. Shrikant Baldi (Retd.IAS:1988:HP) concluded his tenure.

The term of the previous RERA Chairman, Shrikant Baldi, ended on December 12, 2024. Baldi, who had previously served as Chief Secretary, was appointed to the RERA post by the previous BJP-led government. The selection committee for the RERA posts is headed by the HP High Court Chief Justice, with the Secretary (Urban Development) and the Secretary (Law) as its members. The appointment process is expected to take more than a month, according to a senior official.

Saxena became Chief Secretary on January 2, 2023. Dhiman, who was appointed CIC in December 2022 after his retirement as Chief Secretary, still has nearly a year left in his term but appears to be vying for a fresh three-year term as RERA Chairman.

If Saxena is appointed to any of the RERA positions, Himachal Pradesh will need to appoint a new Chief Secretary before his retirement. In the race for the position are Sanjay Gupta (IAS:1988:HP), the senior most officer in the cadre, currently serving as the Chief Managing Director of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board. Kamlesh Kumar Pant (IAS:1993:HP) follows Gupta in seniority. Anuradha Thakur (IAS:1994:HP), who is currently on Central deputation as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, is next in line. Onkar Sharma (IAS:1994:HP) is also being speculated as a potential candidate for the Chief Secretary post.

Also Read: Lobbying begins for new Himachal CS as incumbent may become RERA chief

WhatsApp Group Join Now
Google News Follow Now