Prime minister Manmohan Singh appreciates home secretary’s hard work, says will use his services appropriately.
After facing flak for his comments against the Pakistani establishment on the eve of minister for external affairs SM Krishna’s visit to Islamabad, GK Pillai has received a pat on his back. Prime minister Manmohan Singh has told the home secretary that the government has always appreciated his hard work and would use his services appropriately.
Pillai called on PM in the wake of reports that the government was unhappy with his “ill-timed” remarks against Pakistan. He had said Pakistani spy agency ISI had played a “very significant role” in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
Pillai is due to retire in October and it was expected that he would continue in the job in view of the Commonwealth Games and the ongoing war against Maoists. The controversy created an uncomfortable situation and he was even taken off the task of briefing the media.
But the home secretary got a shot in the arm when he met PM with wife Sudha, an IAS officer of the 1972 batch and member-secretary of the planning commission.
There was speculation that Pillai may be made member of the election commission (EC), which has a vacancy after the retirement of Navin Chawla and elevation of SY Quraishi as chief election commissioner. But it was discovered that he belongs to a senior batch and could not be made election commissioner.
Shantha Sheila Nair, who retired on Saturday as mines secretary, Sushma Nath, expenditure secretary, and HS Brahma, former power secretary, are in the race for the EC post. A woman may be made an election commissioner for the first time, but a decision on this is likely to be taken after UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi returns from the US.
Though foreign secretary Nirupama Rao’s name is also doing the rounds, she is unlikely to retire in October. She may be given an extension since US president Barack Obama is arriving in November.
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