As the retirement of Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta approaches on May 31, intense speculation has gripped the state’s bureaucratic and political circles over who will occupy the most powerful administrative office in the state.
With the possibility of Gupta receiving an extension appearing remote, the Congress government is expected to appoint a new Chief Secretary within days.
Gupta, a 1988-batch IAS officer, was appointed Acting Chief Secretary on October 1, 2025, after the retirement of Prabodh Saxena. Ironically, despite being senior, Gupta had earlier been overlooked for the top post during both the previous BJP regime and the current Congress dispensation. Under the BJP government, RD Dhiman was appointed Chief Secretary, while the Congress government later chose Saxena over him.
Among the frontrunners now is KK Pant, a 1993-batch IAS officer currently serving as Additional Chief Secretary handling Forest and Home departments. Pant, originally from Uttarakhand, is presently the senior-most officer serving in the state cadre and enjoys a significant advantage due to his long remaining tenure till December 2030.
Two 1994-batch officers — Anuradha Thakur and Onkar Sharma — are also being seen as strong contenders. Thakur is presently serving at the Centre as Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs under the Union Finance Ministry.
Though she still has around four years of service left, sources indicate she may prefer to continue at the Centre rather than return to the state cadre immediately.
Onkar Sharma, presently Additional Chief Secretary (Tribal Development), is also in serious contention. Belonging to the remote Pangi valley of Chamba district, Sharma’s administrative experience and political acceptability are being viewed as important factors in the race.
Another name quietly gaining traction is Bharat Khera, a 1995-batch IAS officer currently on central deputation. Bureaucratic circles suggest Khera could emerge as a surprise choice if Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu opts for an officer perceived to be administratively aligned with his governance priorities.
Traditionally, the appointment of the Chief Secretary remains the exclusive prerogative of the Chief Minister and is not necessarily governed by seniority alone. Himachal Pradesh has witnessed several such precedents in the past.
Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had appointed VC Pharka as Chief Secretary despite superseding several seniors, while Prabodh Saxena’s appointment too had triggered similar discussions within bureaucratic circles.
With the state government unlikely to seek an extension for Gupta, his retirement now appears almost certain. Earlier this year, the Centre had granted only a six-month extension to Prabodh Saxena despite the state seeking a one-year term, underlining that such extensions remain exceptional rather than routine.