Union Home Secretary Goyal quits; Mehrishi is new incumbent

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 31

Less than seven months into his two-year tenure, Union Home Secretary L C Goyal has taken voluntary retirement from his high-profile job.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has appointed Rajiv Mehrishi, a Rajasthan cadre IAS officer from the 1978 batch, as a replacement for Goyal to occupy the important post at North Block.

Incidentally, Mehrishi was to retire on Monday at attaining the age of 60 years.

Officers on certain select posts in the government like Defence Secretary, Home Secretary and Secretary External Affairs get a fixed two-year tenure for continuity and they can continue in service till the age of 62.

Mehrishi is presently working as Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs. His appointment will be for a period of two years from the date of taking over charge as Home Secretary.

He was earlier working as Chief Secretary in Rajasthan.

Goyal had been appointed as Home Secretary on February 5 this year after previous Home Secretary Anil Goswami took “voluntary retirement” on being asked by the government to do so, over his alleged act of calling up the police to go “soft” on a person wanted by law.

Goyal said he had quit owing to personal reasons. He ruled out any issue of his health and said he was not “unhappy”. Goyal did not attend the office today. 

Goyal has been appointed Chairman and Managing Director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).  — With PTI inputs