Union Home Secy’s tenure extended till Aug 22 next yr

New Delhi: The Centre on Friday extended the tenure of Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan till August 22 next year, according to an official order.

The extension comes at a time when the country is preparing for the mega census with caste enumeration and amid the Union Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA’s) resolve to end Naxalism by March next year.

India’s 16th Census with caste enumeration will be carried out in 2027, with the reference date of October 1, 2026, in snow-bound areas like Ladakh and March 1, 2027, in the rest of the country.

Mohan, a 1989 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Sikkim cadre, was named the Union Home Secretary in August 2024. He took over the charge from Ajay Kumar Bhalla on completion of his tenure on August 22 last year.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Mohan’s extension in services as Home Secretary beyond the date of his superannuation on September 30 up to August 22, 2026 or until further orders, in terms of the provisions of Fundamental Rules or FR 56 (d) and Rule 16 (1A) of the All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, said the order issued by the Ministry of Personnel.

The rules have provisions to extend the services of such officers.

With this extension, Mohan will have two years’ tenure on the crucial post mandated with mainly ensuring internal security matters among others.

He was serving as the Union Culture Secretary before being named as the Home Secretary.

A seasoned bureaucrat, Mohan was also the government’s key officer during the COVID-19 pandemic and was tasked with overseeing the implementation of decisions taken for various protocols and ensuring smooth coordination with the states.