NEW DELHI: In a surprise move, Home Secretary L C Goyal was on Monday replaced with Rajiv Mehrishi, a 1978 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS officer on the day of his superannuation. Goyal, who was appointed Home Secretary after the sudden exit of his predecessor Anil Goswami, still had almost one-and-a-half years of his fixed two-year tenure left and there was no indication that the government was looking for his replacement.
The sudden announcement by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, just hours before Mehrishi’s retirement, set tongues wagging. Speculation was rife in the corridors of power that Goyal was replaced over reported differences with the Centre on issues including the Naga accord, Teesta, denial of security clearance to Sun TV and foreign funding for NGOs.