In the interim period since October, TRAI member Meenakshi Gupta was holding the additional charge of the chairperson.

Initially, there was buzz that the government may go for a person from the private sector to be appointed to TRAI chief position. The TRAI Act of 1997, which regulates appointments to the position, has been amended in the Telecom Bill to enable the appointment of senior executives from the private sector for the position.

However, after inviting candidatures from the private sector, the Centre decided to stick to the retired officials but expanded the scope beyond just retired IAS officers.

Lahoti was amongst the four contenders who were on the panel shortlisted by the authorities. Former power secretary Sanjiv Sahai, former member of technology at the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) A K Tiwari, and former secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Ajay Prakash Sawhney were also in the race for the telecom regulator post.

Subsequently, on Monday, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued a notification of appointing Lahoti for the job for three years.His name was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, IRSE (1984) (Retd.), Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, Government of India as Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for three years from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until he attains the age of 65 years or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the DoPT notification stated.

The government sources suggested that Lahoti’s selection was based on his vast experience of over 35 years in the Indian Railways where he worked in various capacities across Central, Northern, North Central, Western, and West Central Railways regions.