Senior IAS officer Ajay Kumar Bhalla was appointed Union Home Secretary on Thursday. He will have a fixed two-year tenure till August 2021, a Ministry of Personnel order said.
Bhalla, a 1984-Batch Indian Administration Service (IAS) officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, is currently serving as Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Ministry of Home Affairs. He served as the Union Power Secretary before being appointed as OSD on July 24.
Bhalla succeeds Rajiv Gauba, a 1982-batch IAS officer, who was appointed Cabinet Secretary on Wednesday.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved Bhalla’s appointment.