EVEN AS PER LATEST INSTRUCTIONS OF STATE GOVT., CHIEF SECY. IS NOT LINK OFFICER ADMN. SECY. OF FINANCE DEPTT. – ADVOCATE HEMANT KUMAR

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It may appear utterly surprising if not weird but its actually true that the incumbent Chief Secretary(CS), Government of Haryana, Anurag Rastogi, a 1990 batch IAS, has been concurrently holding additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary(ACS), Finance Department ever since he assumed the charge of CS over eight months ago on 20 Feb 2025 however the catch is that since then to till date there has been no formal Order regarding delegation of ibid additional charge i.e. ACS, Finance to Rastogi although before becoming CS, he was holding such charge since 3 Aug 2022. 

Meanwhile, Hemant Kumar, an Advocate at Punjab & Haryana High Court, who is also a frequent commentator on administrative developments in Haryana told that the other day on 24 Oct, when he came across an Order issued by Finance Department of Haryana Government pertaining to revision of rates of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief to the Haryana Government employees & pensioners/family pensioners w.e.f. 1 July 2025, beneath such Order there was the official seal and signature stamp of Anurag Rastogi but not as Chief Secretary, Govt. of Haryana but rather as Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. Haryana, Finance Department.  

It is to be recalled that on 19 Feb 2025, vide an Order issued by Personnel Department of Haryana Government, Anurag Rastogi, who was then posted as Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) to Govt. Haryana and Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management and Consolidation Department and ACS to Govt. Haryana, Finance and Planning Department was posted as Chief Secretary to Government, Haryana, General Administration, Human Resources, Personnel & Training, Parliamentary Affairs, Vigilance Department and Secretary in-charge of Plan Coordination. 

Pertinent to mention that there was No mention in the ibid Order dated 19 Feb 2025 that Anurag Rastogi would hold additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Finance and Planning Department concurrently i.e. whilst being Chief Secretary, Govt. of Haryana, quipped Hemant. 

Further on 20 June 2025, vide an another Order was issued by the Personnel Department of Haryana Government pertaining to one year extension in service of Anurag Rastogi i.e. from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 as approved/granted by the Govt. of India under Rule 16(1) of AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958 read with Rule 3 of AIS(CS-RM) Rules, 1960 was issued. In that Order too, designation of Rastogi therein was only mentioned as Chief Secretary to Govt. Haryana therein. 

Be that as it may, right from 20 February 2025 to till date, No fresh Order has been issued by the Haryana Government regarding formal delegation of additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Finance and Planning Department to Anurag Rastogi, IAS currently Chief Secretary, Govt. of Haryana, asserted Hemant. 

However, since February this year, on all Orders/Notifications etc. as issued by the Finance Department, Haryana, Anurag Rastogi, Chief Secretary to Govt. of Haryana is however being mentioned as Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. Haryana, Finance Department including on the latest Order dated 24 Oct 2025 as mentioned hereinbefore.  

Be that as it may, Hemant also told that as per prevalent instructions of Haryana Government pertaining to concept of Link Officers, the Chief Secretary is not Link Officer Administrative Secretary of Finance Department of State Government.

He also seriously wonders if & how an IAS officer can be Chief Secy. to the State Govt. as well as Additional Chief Secy. of a State Govt. Department simultaneously.