Chandigarh, July 1: Anurag Rastogi, the Chief Secretary of Haryana, has been granted a second service extension of six months. Following approval from the central government, he will continue in his role until December 31, 2026. The Haryana government had submitted a proposal to the center to extend his tenure, which has now been accepted.
This extension comes after Rastogi completed a one-year service extension, effectively halting the prospects of several senior IAS officers who were in the running for the Chief Secretary position.
Among those considered for the role were 1990 batch IAS officers Sudhir Rajpal, Dr. Sumita Mishra, and Raja Shekhar Vundru. Sudhir Rajpal is set to retire on November 30, 2026, while Raja Shekhar Vundru’s term will end on July 31, 2026. Dr. Sumita Mishra is scheduled to retire on January 31, 2027.
Rastogi is now among a select group of administrative officials in India who have received a service extension of over a year for a second time. Previously, Durga Shankar Mishra, the former Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, was also granted multiple extensions, including two one-year extensions and one six-month extension after retirement.
Additionally, Manoj Ahuja, the former Chief Secretary of Odisha, received a one-year extension starting January 2025, but did not receive further extensions afterward. Prabodh Saxena, the former Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh, was granted a six-month extension starting in April 2025, which concluded in September 2025.
The recent extension granted to Anurag Rastogi is viewed as a reflection of the government’s confidence in his administrative capabilities. Reports indicate that he was present in the office prior to the approval of the extension on Tuesday, although he did not engage in regular file work. Following the issuance of orders from the center, he appeared to be active once again.
This year, several senior IAS officers from the Haryana cadre are set to retire, including 1990 batch officers Raja Shekhar Vundru, Sudhir Rajpal, and Arun Gupta, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, among others.
Moreover, officers from the 1995 batch, such as D. Suresh, along with Sanjay June from the 2003 batch, Anita Yadav from the 2004 batch, and Geeta Bharti from the 2005 batch, are also expected to retire in 2026.
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