In a significant bureaucratic move, the Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday appointed senior IAS officer Sanjay Gupta as the state’s regular Chief Secretary — just days ahead of his scheduled retirement on May 31 and amid ongoing proceedings in the Himachal Pradesh High Court over his continuation in the post.
The appointment was approved by Governor Kavinder Gupta in “public interest”, according to a notification issued by the Department of Personnel. A 1988-batch IAS officer, Sanjay Gupta had been serving as Additional Chief Secretary (Town and Country Planning and Housing) and was holding the additional charge of Chief Secretary since October 1, 2025.
The development comes against the backdrop of a pending Public Interest Litigation (PIL), Tilak Raj vs State Government, which has challenged Gupta’s continuation as acting Chief Secretary. Earlier this month, a division bench led by Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia issued notices to both the state government and Gupta over questions relating to his suitability and “institutional integrity” in occupying the state’s top bureaucratic office.
The petition reportedly cites pending FIRs and vigilance-related matters, while also invoking Supreme Court observations on integrity standards for the appointment of Chief Secretaries. The case is scheduled to be heard on July 21. Gupta, however, has dismissed the allegations as unfounded, claiming that certain sections within the bureaucracy were attempting to tarnish his reputation and block the possibility of an extension in service.
The timing of the appointment has also triggered political and administrative speculation that the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu may be weighing a post-retirement extension for Gupta. With May 31 falling on a Sunday, he is otherwise expected to demit office on May 30.
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