Uttarakhand’s Chief Secretary Radha Raturi Retiring Soon – Who Will Take Over the Role?

Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand’s Chief Secretary, Radha Raturi, is set to retire on March 31. With her retirement approaching, discussions about who will take over the position have intensified. Radha Raturi had already been given an extension earlier, so this time, it is unlikely that she will get another one. According to sources, Radha Raturi has applied for the position of Chief Information Commissioner. The selection process for this post is currently underway. It is believed that the government might appoint the new Chief Information Commissioner before Raturi’s tenure as Chief Secretary ends. In the meantime, she has also met with Governor Gurmeet Singh, sparking speculation that she may be given a new role. Based on seniority, Additional Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, who is currently serving in the administration, is seen as the strongest contender for the position of the next Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand.

Anand Bardhan is a 1992-batch IAS officer and the most senior bureaucrat in Uttarakhand at present. Given his seniority, he is highly likely to become the next Chief Secretary. Though he has also been listed for central deputation, Bardhan has expressed his preference to continue serving in Uttarakhand. Earlier, there were speculations that he might move to the center, but he has declined for now. After Bardhan, there are two other senior IAS officers in the state, but they have not yet completed the required service tenure for the Chief Secretary position. These include RK Sudhanshu, a 1997-batch IAS officer currently posted at the Chief Secretary’s office, and another 1997-batch IAS officer, L. Fenny, who is also a Principal Secretary. Given this scenario, Anand Bardhan remains the most probable choice for the role. It is expected that the situation regarding the appointment of the new Chief Secretary will become clear in the next couple of days.