Overlooked for chief secy post, IAS officer takes on Himachal govt

Subject :Polity

Chief Secretary

The Chief Secretary is the top-most executive official and senior-most civil servant of the state government.
The Chief Secretary is the ex-officio head of the state Civil Services Board, the State Secretariat, the state cadre Indian Administrative Service and all civil services under the rules of business of the state government.
The Chief Secretary acts as the principal advisor to the chief minister on all matters of state administration.
The Chief Secretary is the officer of Indian Administrative Service.
The Chief Secretary is the senior-most cadre post in the state administration, ranking 23rd on the Indian order of precedence.
- The post of Chief Secretary of a State Government is equivalent to Vice Chief of the Army Staff/Commanders and officers in the rank of full General and its equivalents in the Indian Armed Forces, and are listed as such in the Order of Precedence
The Chief Secretary acts as an ex-officio secretary to the state cabinet, therefore called “Secretary to the Cabinet”. The status of this post is equal to that of a Secretary to the Government of India.
Appointment:
- The Chief Secretary is ‘chosen’ by the Chief Minister.
- As the appointment of Chief Secretary is an executive action of the Chief Minister, it is taken in the name of the Governor of the State.
Tenure:
- The office of Chief Secretary has been excluded from the operation of the tenure system.
- There is no fixed tenure for this post.