Tenure of Home, Defence, IB, RAW chiefs could be extended up to 5 yrs: Centre

A day after extending the tenure of CBI, ED chiefs up to five years, the Union government on Monday extended the tenure of the Home Secretary, Defence Secretary, Director of Intelligence Bureau and Secretary of Research and Analysis wing for a period of two years. The tenure of these officials can be extended up to five years, notes the gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension.

"Provided also that the Central government may, if it considers necessary in public interest to do so, give extension in service to the Defence Secretary. Home Secretary, Director of Intelligence Bureau, Secretary of Research and Analysis Wing and Director of Central Bureau of Investigation appointed under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (25 of 1946) and Director of Enforcement appointed under the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003 (45 of 2003) in the Central government for such period or periods as it may deem proper on a case-to-case basis for reasons to be recorded in writing, subject to the condition that the total term of such Secretaries or Directors, as the case may be, who are given such extension in service under this rule, does not exceed two years or the period provided in the respective Act or rules made thereunder, under which their appointments are made," the gazette reads.

"The chiefs of the Central agencies currently have a fixed two-year tenure, but the government can now give three annual extensions from case to case basis," the gazette adds.

Earlier, on May 27, the Union government had extended the tenure of Arvind Kumar (Intelligence Bureau Chief) and Samant Kumar Goel (Secretary, Research and Analysis Wing) by a year. Likewise, the tenure of Union Home Secretary Ajar Kumar Bhalla was also extended by a year.