Retired IAS officer Rajesh Khullar has been appointed as the Chief Principal Secretary to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini in a significant administrative development. The appointment was confirmed by an official order released late Monday night by Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad (IAS:1988). However, this latest order includes two key revisions compared to the one issued on October 18.
Firstly, Khullar’s appointment no longer includes the rank and status of a cabinet minister, a notable shift from the original decision. Secondly, while the earlier order specified that Khullar’s term would be co-terminus with the Chief Minister’s tenure, the revised directive now stipulates that his tenure will be co-terminus with the CM’s term or until further orders, whichever comes earlier. The order also mentioned that “the rest of the terms and conditions of his appointment will be issued separately.”
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This decision comes after opposition from senior BJP leaders in Haryana, who raised concerns over Khullar being granted cabinet status, prompting discussions with the party’s central leadership. On October 18, CM Saini held meetings in Delhi with top BJP leaders, reportedly addressing Khullar’s appointment and status, which caused delays in finalizing the decision. The reconsideration of Khullar’s term being tied directly to the CM’s tenure was also part of these discussions.
