Today is the 60th birthday of 1990 batch IAS Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi. He is the first IAS of the state who has got the opportunity to become the Chief Secretary of the state twice. The central government has given him an extension of one year on the recommendation of the state government. In this extension, he has got the benefit of the service rule-three of the central government.
On June 19, the central government sent its letter of approval to the Haryana government in this regard, after which the state government issued orders in this regard on June 20.
1. The Center used Rule-three in the extension
Hemant Kumar, a lawyer of Punjab Haryana High Court and an expert in administrative matters, further said that 19 and a half years ago in November 2005, the Central Government amended 16 (1) of the 1958 rule. Due to this amendment, if the concerned state government sends a recommendation to the Chief Secretary of the state to the center for extension of service, then the central government can provide an extension of up to 6 months to the retiring IAS.
Since Rastogi has been given an extension of one year in IAS instead of 6 months, the central government has done so by using Rule No. 3 of the All India Services (Service Conditions Residual Matters) Rules, 1958, made in the year 1960.
2. Rule-3 was made for this reason
Regarding Rule No. 3 in the rules, Hemant said that this rule was made so that if the central government feels that in the case of any member officer of the All India Service, the service rules and regulations applicable to him are causing undue hardship to that officer personally, then the central government can provide relaxation or exemption in such rules and regulations in that particular case.
Retirement happens at the end of the month after completion of 60 years
On 20 June 2025, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi has completed 60 years of age, according to official records, his date of birth is 21 June 1965. According to Rule 16 (1) of the All India Services (Death and Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, an officer who is a member of the All India Service retires from the afternoon of the last day of the month in which he completes 60 years of age, hence Chief Secretary Rastogi’s retirement from IAS was scheduled for 30 June 2025 this month.
The wait for these two officers has increased
Despite Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi getting a one-year extension, the wait for two IAS officers senior to him in the 1990 batch, Sudhir Rajpal and Dr. Sumita Mishra, to become the Chief Secretary of Haryana has become longer. Because Rajpal’s IAS retirement is scheduled for 30 November 2026 while Dr. Mishra’s is scheduled for 31 January 2027.
After Anurag Rastogi got the extension, he will now take over as the Chief Secretary of Haryana till June 2026.
UP IAS has got two and a half years extension
Earlier, the Central Government had given extension in IAS for two and a half years, one year each twice and once for 6 months, from January 2022 to June 2024. Similarly, the current Chief Secretary of Odisha, 1990 batch IAS Manoj Ahuja, whose retirement was scheduled for 31 December 2024, was given one year extension in IAS from 1 January 2025.
The current Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh, 1990 batch IAS Prabodh Saxena, who was scheduled to retire on March 31, 2025, has been given a 6-month extension from April 1, 2025.
