Inside Raisina Hill: Hunt For Next G20 Sherpa, CBDT Chair

As one walks down the Hill along the Rajpath, now renamed Kartavya Path, come other edifices — Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, and Shashtri Bhavan on one side and Sena Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, and Vanijya Bhavan on the other. The bureaucrats who adorn the offices in these buildings determine India's economic, social, and industrial policies. There are many tales to be told from the corridors of these grandiose buildings. We let you in on some of them here in this week's edition of "Inside Raisina Hill".

Who Will Be The Next G20 Sherpa?

Last week, we had alerted you about the imminent resignation of Amitabh Kant as the G20 Sherpa, which finally happened on June 18. Now, the hunt is on for his replacement. The stakes are high, and the appointment is expected to be made within the next two weeks.

The name being whispered the most in the corridors of power is that of Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, reportedly because of his experience in handling international diplomatic engagements. But he is not the only one in line. 

The government might even consider an IFS officer with a strong background in international relations and diplomacy.

The new Sherpa will face a tough challenge living up to the benchmark set by Amitabh Kant. They'll need to define India's stance on global issues, promote its interests in the G20 forum, and lead negotiations with other member countries to achieve consensus on key issues.

With the right person at the helm, India can continue to play a key role in shaping global policies and agendas. The clock is ticking, and the government needs to make a strong appointment soon.

Among senior people who have previously held the position are IAS officers like Shaktikanta Das, economists like Arvind Panagariya, and politicians like Suresh Prabhu.

CSS Forum Elects New Faces, Including Woman As Prez

Elections for the executive body of the Central Secretariat Service Forum for 2025 were conducted recently, bringing forth new faces in leadership positions, including a woman president. 

The elections were conducted online, with nearly 17,000 votes polled from among CSS cadre officers and personnel.     

Dev Priya Gupta has been elected President, securing 2,067 votes, defeating Rajesh Kumar. Newly elected vice-presidents are Anu Arora Ravinder, and Abhishek Bhardwaj. Yatendra Chandela has won the post of General Secretary by a significant margin.

The results highlight a strong presence of young women officers. Three of the five secretaries are women.

Vishwadeep Dahiya and Mayank Sharma have been elected Organising Secretary and Coordination Secretary, respectively.

Many in the CSS cadre said the newly elected team would begin their work amid high expectations for reform, clearance of promotion backlog, and cadre restructuring. 

Ex-MNRE Secy Bhupinder Singh Bhalla Appointed Member, APTEL

Nearly eight months after his retirement, former Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, a 1990-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer, has been appointed a member (technical) in the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL). 

APTEL is a quasi-judicial body that is tasked with adjudicating appeals against the rulings of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and various State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs). The body brings both judicial members and technical members, which makes it a balanced bench to address complex regulatory and technical challenges in the field of electricity.

Bhalla joining the tribunal reflects the government’s recognition of his extensive experience and sector-specific expertise spanning over three decades in the power and energy sectors, as the position requires substantial domain knowledge and at least 25 years of professional experience in the fields of electricity generation, transmission, distribution, regulation, economics, business, commerce, law and finance. 

Many in the sector believe Bhalla’s tenure in senior administrative roles, particularly in MNRE, makes him well-suited for the post, as he will bring weight to the tribunal’s technical capacity, at a time when India is witnessing a major transition in the power sector. 

APTEL plays a central role in resolving disputes, interpreting regulatory frameworks, and shaping the policy ecosystem in India’s power sector. The current head of the APTEL is Justice Ramesh Ranganathan, whose tenure is till December 1, 2026. 

Govt Seeks Replacements For CBDT Board

With the Board-level vacancies, including that of the post of Chairman, scheduled to open up in the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) this month, the government has set in motion the process to hunt for their replacements.

CBDT Chairman Ravi Agrawal, a 1988-batch IRS officer, is set to complete his extended term of nine months on June 30, along with member (administration) Prabodh Seth, an IRS officer of the 1989-batch.

A third senior IRS officer — member (legislation) R N Parbat, a 1989-batch IRS officer — will also retire this year, in October. 

A section within the Finance Ministry feels that the government may give another extension to Agrawal, on a contractual basis. 

Many among the revenue service officers believe that once the government goes for fresh faces in the CBDT, there will be a cascading effect in the cadre, with the appointments of new Directors General (DGs) and Principal Chief Commissioners of Income Tax (PCCITs) in the directorates and field offices. It is also learnt that at least three vacancies exist at the levels of DG and PCCIT, as a few more positions are going to be vacant by end-June.