95-year-old law changed for Jaishankar’s longer term

New Delhi: A major change has reportedly been made by the Centre in a 95-year-old rule to give one-year extension in service to foreign secretary S. Jaishankar. The personnel ministry amended a provision of Fundamental Rules, 1922, to pave way for the extension, official sources said on Thursday, according to news agencies.

At present, service rules provides for a two-year fixed term for foreign, defence and home secretaries in addition to the CBI director. According to news agency PTI, the rules have been amended to include that “the Central government may, if considers necessary, in public interest, so to do, give an extension in service for a further period not exceeding one year beyond the said period of two years to the foreign secretary”.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had on Monday extended the services of the foreign secretary for one year, i.e. till January 28, next year, beyond his current two-year fixed tenure that ends on Saturday. In its order dated January 23, the government had stated, “The ACC of the Cabinet has approved the proposal for extension in service of S. Jaishankar, foreign secretary, for a further period of one year with effect from January 29, 2017, to January 28, 2018.”

A 1977-IFS batch officer, Mr Jaishankar was appointed foreign secretary on January 29, 2015, just a few days before he was scheduled to retire, thereby replacing Sujata Singh, whose term was abruptly curtailed by the government.