Negi emerges frontrunner for Chief Secretary post

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Ramesh Negi has emerged to be the front runner for the next Delhi Chief Secretary.

Sources said the Aam Aadmi Party Government has recommended the name of Mr. Negi, a 1984 AGMUT cadre IAS, to the Union Home Ministry for consideration. Mr. Negi has worked as chief executive officer of the Delhi Jal Board prior to his posting in Arunachal Pradesh in 2012.

Incumbent Chief Secretary D.M. Spolia is scheduled to retire on February 28. If Mr. Negi takes over as the next Chief Secretary, sources said, he would be superseding around a half dozen IAS officials from the UT cadre who are senior to him.

Anand Prakash, 1979 batch, is the senior most official in the UT cadre. He is currently serving as Andaman & Nicobar Chief Secretary. The cadre has two serving officials from 1980 batch — Naini Jayaseelan, who is on a Central deputation, and S.K. Srivastava, who is serving as Financial Commissioner with Delhi Government. Mr. Srivastava was appointed Delhi Chief Secretary during the 49-day rule of the AAP government.

Other IAS officials who are senior to Mr. Negi includes Vijay S. Madan (1981), who is on Central deputation, and Nutan Guha Biswas (1983), Principal Secretary to Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung.

Sources said the Union Health Ministry has already started the background verification in terms of antecedents and technical parameters required under the service rule for an official to be appointed as the Chief Secretary.

For appointment, a source said, to the post of Chief Secretary an official is required to have reached the apex scale in IAS.