Rajeev Verma has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Delhi by the Ministry of Home Affairs and will assume charge on October 1, 2025. A 1992-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, he succeeds Dharmendra, a 1989-batch officer, who retires at the end of September.
Verma brings over three decades of administrative experience across state and central governments. He has previously served as Chief Secretary of Chandigarh and Puducherry and most recently as Advisor to the Administrator of Chandigarh. In Delhi, he has handled significant responsibilities as Finance and Revenue Secretary between 2018 and 2022, Transport Commissioner, and has worked with the Defence, Power, and Health Ministries at the Centre.
Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from MANIT, a Master’s in Urban Design from the Delhi School of Planning and Architecture, and an M.Tech from IIT, he combines technical expertise with extensive governance experience. His academic background and administrative service place him in a strong position to address Delhi’s infrastructural and urban challenges.
The new appointment also marks a return to familiar territory for Verma, who has earlier served in the city’s Transport Department, Revenue Department, and Delhi Development Authority. Within bureaucratic circles, he is known for a rule-based yet pragmatic approach, and is regarded as a balanced officer.
His career includes key positions such as Advisor to the Administrator of Chandigarh (2022–2025), Chief Secretary of Puducherry, Principal Secretary and Commissioner Finance/Revenue in Delhi (2018–2022), Principal Commissioner Housing and Urban Affairs at DDA (2017–2018), Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence (2013–2017), CMD of Delhi Transport Corporation (2012–2013), along with various roles in Goa and Delhi NCR between 2000 and 2011.
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The appointment order was issued from Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi, with approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The order states that Verma will take charge from October 1 or the date of joining, whichever is later.
With his appointment, Delhi’s administrative machinery looks forward to renewed leadership. His prior experience in the capital, coupled with his reputation for clean and effective governance, is expected to strengthen efforts in addressing key governance challenges in the national capital.
