Alok Verma takes oath as new chairman of Haryana Public Service Commission

Chandigarh, October 23

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Indian Forest Service officer Alok Verma on Friday took oath as the new chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC).

Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya administered the oath of office to Verma at a ceremony held at Raj Bhawan here, an official statement said.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and Education Minister Kanwar Pal were among others who were present at the event.

The 1989-batch IFS officer, a resident of Bihar, took premature retirement to join the coveted post. HPSC is responsible for the recruitment of ‘Group A’ officers in state government departments.

The 56-year-old officer, who was Khattar’s aide-de-camp (Tour) during his first term as chief minister, will have a six-year term as HPSC chairman. He succeeded R K Pachnanda.

Senior Congress leaders Aftab Ahmed and B B Batra hit out at the BJP-JJP government over Verma’s appointment, questioning whether there was no one from the state who was competent to head the commission.

In a joint statement, they claimed that the state government is advocating 75 per cent reservation in jobs for Haryana natives but appointing people from other states to head the state’s public service commission, a constitutional post. PTI