Senior bureaucrat Rajiv Mehrishi will be new home secretary

New Delhi:  In a high-level shake-up in the government, a new home secretary will take over just six months after the last appointment.

Senior bureaucrat Rajiv Mehrishi has been appointed home secretary in place of LC Goyal, whose appointment in February was also sudden.

Mr Goyal had replaced Anil Goswami, who was asked to go for allegedly interfering in a CBI probe on behalf of a Congress leader.

A government statement said Mr Goyal’s request for voluntary retirement has been approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has reportedly cited “personal reasons.”

Mr Mehrishi, a 1978 batch IAS officer, was Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, Finance Ministry. He was due to retire today but has been given a two-year extension.

Sources say “low synergy” between the finance and home ministries was among the reasons for the shuffle. They also say Mr Goyal had few options but to make way for a new officer in his place. He has not enjoyed the best of ties with the government or the finance ministry.