https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Who Is IAS Sanjay Gupta? Himachal Pradesh Govt Appoints Him to Top Bureaucratic Post, Bypassing Chief Secretary

Himachal Pradesh Govt Elevates Sanjay Gupta to Chief Secretary-Equivalent Role Amid Bureaucratic Maneuver
Indian Masterminds Stories

Shimla: In a strategic administrative move, the Himachal Pradesh government has appointed senior IAS officer Sanjay Gupta (IAS: 1988) to a position with the rank, status, and responsibility equivalent to that of the state’s Chief Secretary.

The order, issued late Tuesday, September 30, 2025, comes in the wake of Prabodh Saxena’s retirement and the reported refusal of a further extension by the Union government.

Bypassing the Traditional Chief Secretary Appointment

The Department of Personnel notification dated September 30 outlines Gupta’s transfer from his previous role as Chairman of the H.P. State Electricity Board Ltd. to Chairman of the H.P. State Pollution Control Board. He will also retain the additional charge of Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Ropeways and Rapid Transport System Development Corporation H.P. Ltd.

The key provision in the notification states –

“Shri Sanjay Gupta, IAS (HP:1988), shall work under the overall administrative control and supervision of the Hon’ble Chief Minister and shall be equivalent in rank, status and responsibility to the post of Chief Secretary to the Government of Himachal Pradesh.”

This move effectively allows the state government to position its senior-most IAS officer at the top of the administrative hierarchy under the direct supervision of the Chief Minister, sidestepping the need for formal approval from the Union government’s Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for the substantive Chief Secretary post.

Administrative Sleight of Hand

Experts view this as a rare bureaucratic maneuver, allowing the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government to assert control over state administration while keeping the Chief Secretary post formally vacant. By elevating a parallel position to Chief Secretary-equivalent status, the state sidesteps the Centre’s influence over high-level postings, a sensitive area that has seen tension between the state and Union governments in recent years.

An Assertion of State Authority

The decision comes after weeks of speculation following Prabodh Saxena’s extended tenure. Analysts say it reflects the state government’s intent to strengthen its administrative autonomy. With Sanjay Gupta, the senior-most officer of the state cadre, now holding Chief Secretary-equivalent status, the state government signals both stability and assertiveness in its bureaucratic leadership.

This move also highlights the growing trend of innovative administrative strategies being used by state governments to manage top-level postings amidst Centre-State negotiations and approvals.

Who Is IAS Sanjay Gupta?

Sanjay Gupta, an IAS officer of the 1988 Himachal Pradesh cadre, was currently the Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board. He has previously served as Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEBL) and has held additional charge as Chairman of the HP Pollution Control Board. Gupta holds a Diploma in Management and a degree in Civil Engineering, and is fluent in English and Hindi.

Looking Ahead

Sanjay Gupta’s appointment is expected to bring continuity and experience to the administrative apparatus of Himachal Pradesh. While the Chief Secretary post remains formally vacant, Gupta’s enhanced role ensures that key decisions and governance processes remain under experienced leadership, directly overseen by the Chief Minister.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
PESB
PESB Opens Applications for Director Posts in NHPC and CONCOR; Apply by November 11
CBI
2 IPS Officers Appointed as SPs in CBI on 5-Year Central Deputation – Know Their Profiles
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-21 at 2.07
Govardhan Puja: CM Mohan Yadav Performs Puja at Tilkeshwar Temple, Reiterates Commitment to Farmers & Cow Welfare
Pushkar Singh Dhami Cow
Govardhan Puja in Uttarakhand: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Highlights Cow Conservation as Key to Culture and Self-Reliance
Gujarat News
From Temple to Policy: Gujarat CM’s New Year Message Blends Tradition with Self-Reliant Growth
Vishnu Deo Sai CM
Chhattisgarh Lights Up with Development: CM Vishnu Deo Sai Celebrates Diwali at Gurudham, Announces Rs. 1.58 Crore Revamp Plan
Lucknow parks development
Lucknow’s Green Makeover: LDA to Revamp 50 Parks with Rs. 150 Crore Urban Eco-Development Plan
Yogi Adityanath Ayodhya visit in Diwali
Yogi Government’s Bold Move: Satellite 'Invest UP' Offices in 5 Metro Cities to Boost National & Global Investments in Uttar Pradesh
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
UPSC Journey Should Be Enjoyable, Not Cumbersome
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
The Many Facets of Former IRS Officer and Author, Giselle Mehta | Video Interview
IDES Saquib Alam
Beyond IAS and IPS: The Inspiring Work of an IDES officer | Video Interview 
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Rupal Rana UPSC
How Rupal Rana Cracked UPSC CSE 2023 with AIR 26 After Four Attempts
UPSC Topper Rupal Rana secured AIR 26 in 2023 after four attempts. Learn her preparation strategy, booklist,...
Ankita Parashar RAS 2023
4 Attempts, 1 Dream, 0 Excuses: Meet RAS Topper Ankita Parashar, Who Fulfilled a Daughter’s Promise & Secured Rank 2 | Exclusive Interview
Ankita Parashar, a teacher-turned-officer from Pushkar, fulfilled her late father’s dream by securing...
Kushal Chaudhary RAS
From Lab Assistant’s Grit to Rajasthan Topper: How Kushal Chaudhary Topped RAS 2023 with Self-Study | Preparation, Strategy & Interview
Kushal Chaudhary, a farmer’s son and lab assistant from Ajmer, topped RAS 2023 through self-study, overcoming...
Social Media
IFS Parveen Kaswan
Heartbreak by the River: 15-Day-Old Elephant Calf Rejected by Mother, Rescued by IFS Parveen Kaswan and His Team
Jaldapra, West Bengal: In a moving incident that tugs at the heart, a 15-day-old elephant calf was rescued...
Ashwini Bhide IAS and Anand Mahindra
Who Is IAS Ashwini Bhide, Hailed as a Role Model for Mumbai Metro Transformation by Anand Mahindra?
From heritage to high-tech: Bhide’s leadership in Metro Line 3 earns public praise and admiration
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
PESB
PESB Opens Applications for Director Posts in NHPC and CONCOR; Apply by November 11
CBI
2 IPS Officers Appointed as SPs in CBI on 5-Year Central Deputation – Know Their Profiles
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
IDES Saquib Alam
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT