Top IAS duo get extensions

Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan and Home Secretary Govind Mohan were on Wednesday given a one-year extension in service. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the extension in service of Somanathan as Cabinet Secretary for a further period of one year beyond August 30, 2026, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

Somanathan, a 1987-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, was appointed to the post for two years in August 2024. The ACC has also approved a one-year extension in the service of Home Secretary Mohan beyond August 22, 2026, that is up to August 22, 2027, in relaxation of the provisions of Fundamental Rule (FR) 56 (d) and Rule 16 (1A) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, the order said.

The rules have a provision to extend the services of the defence secretary, foreign secretary, home secretary, director of the Intelligence Bureau, secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing, and a few others beyond the retirement age of 60 years.

Mohan, a 1989-batch IAS officer of Sikkim cadre, was appointed Home Secretary in August 2024.