Chandigarh: Just days before the Haryana Civil Services (HCS) Preliminary Examination scheduled for April 26, a controversy has emerged over the continued functioning of a retired IAS officer as Secretary of the Haryana Public Service Commission, raising concerns about transparency and administrative propriety.
The issue revolves around Mukesh Kumar Ahuja, a retired IAS officer of 2009 batch, who continues to hold key positions in the state administration even after superannuation.
Exam Scale and Timing Add to Concerns
The Haryana Public Service Commission is set to conduct the HCS (Executive Branch) and Allied Services Preliminary Examination across 337 centres in eight districts, with 93,696 candidates registered.
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However, instead of exam preparations, attention has shifted to the controversial re-employment of Ahuja, given the sensitivity of recruitment processes handled by the Commission.
Re-Employment After Retirement
Mukesh Kumar Ahuja retired from the Indian Administrative Service on March 31, 2026, upon attaining the age of 60. Soon after, the Government of Haryana reportedly granted him a three-month re-employment from April 1 to June 30, 2026.
During this period, he continues to hold dual roles:
Chief Administrator, Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB)
Secretary, Haryana Public Service Commission
These are the same positions he held for nearly three years prior to retirement.
Order Not Made Public
In a deviation from standard administrative practice, the official order granting Ahuja’s re-employment has not been made public, even weeks after issuance.
Typically, orders related to IAS and HCS officers are uploaded on the Chief Secretary’s official website within a short time. The absence of such disclosure has triggered serious concerns over transparency and procedural compliance.
RTI Filed, Legal Questions Raised
The issue has also reached legal scrutiny. Hemant Kumar, an advocate at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, filed a Right to Information (RTI) application with the Cabinet Secretariat on April 6, seeking details of Ahuja’s re-employment.
Citing Rule 9 of the IAS (Cadre) Rules, 1954, he sought clarity on the legal basis of the appointment.
However, the Department of Personnel and Training, to which the RTI was transferred, clarified in its April 7 responsethat Rule 9 applies to the appointment of non-cadre officers to cadre posts and does not cover the re-employment of retired IAS officers.
The department advised that the information must be obtained from the concerned state government. A first appealagainst this response has since been filed and is currently pending.
Demand for Proactive Disclosure
Hemant Kumar has also written to key constitutional authorities, including the Governor, Chief Minister, and Chief Secretary of Haryana, urging immediate disclosure of the re-employment order.
He cited Section 4(2) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, which mandates proactive dissemination of information by public authorities.
“The government must clarify under which legal provision the re-employment has been granted. Withholding such information only fuels suspicion,” he stated.
Background and Service Profile
Mukesh Kumar Ahuja originally belonged to the 1997 batch of the Haryana Civil Service (HCS) and was later promoted to the IAS in May 2019, receiving the 2009 batch seniority.
Comparison with Service Extensions
Observers have pointed out the distinction between service extensions and re-employment.
For instance, Haryana’s current Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi has been granted an extension in service until June 30, 2026 under relevant All India Services rules. However, such extensions are legally distinct from post-retirement re-employment, both of which require clear statutory backing.
Concerns Amid Sensitive Recruitment Process
With a major competitive examination imminent, the controversy has assumed greater significance. Questions are being raised over whether key constitutional bodies like the HPSC should be overseen by officials whose appointments lack public clarity—especially during sensitive recruitment exercises.
As the examination date approaches, the Haryana Government has yet to issue a public clarification, even as calls grow louder for transparency, accountability, and adherence to due process.
