Himachal HC directs Centre to produce file on Chief Secy Prabodh Saxena's extension

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 23 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Tuesday directed the Union government to produce the official file containing notings on the six-month service extension granted to Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Ranjan Sharma passed the order while hearing a set of petitions, including a PIL filed by Atul Sharma challenging the extension and vigilance clearance given to Saxena despite a pending corruption case against him.
"The Union of India shall produce the file containing notings regarding the extension granted to the Chief Secretary through a special messenger," the bench ordered, after Additional Solicitor General of India S.D. Sanjay informed the court via video conferencing that the file was available and could be presented to the judges for review.
The court said it would examine whether the Competent Authority was informed that a sanction for prosecution had been granted against Saxena when the extension was considered. The matter has now been listed for further hearing on Wednesday, September 24.
Earlier, on September 6, the Centre had told the high court that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had recommended a one-year extension for Saxena, who retired on March 31 this year but was granted a six-month extension on March 28.
"The Chief Minister had sought an extension of one year, citing that he is executing various projects in the State in the public interest. Resultantly, the Competent Authority had granted the extension ... for a period of six months, which was in consonance with the Rules," the Union government said in its reply.
The ASG also clarified that "There is a cap on the period of extension, which is only six months, and there can be no further extension beyond the said period in view of the mandatory provisions of the Rules."
Petitioner Atul Sharma has sought quashing of the March 28, 2025, order granting Saxena the extension, arguing that vigilance clearance cannot be given to an officer facing prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He pointed out that a CBI chargesheet against Saxena in the INX Media scam is pending before the Rouse Avenue Special Court, which took cognisance of the case on October 21, 2019.
Saxena, a 1990-batch IAS officer, served as director in the Department of Economic Affairs between April 2008 and July 2010, when the controversial FIPB clearances at the heart of the INX Media case were granted.
He took over as Himachal's chief secretary on December 31, 2022, and was considered close to CM Sukhu. (ANI)