File Photo- Nripendra Misra, former TRAI Chairman, has been appointed Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister with effect from Wednesday.
Among the first acts of the Narendra Modi-led Cabinet was to issue an ordinance allowing former Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) chairman Nripendra Mishra to take over as Principal Secretary to the new Prime Minister.
The Ordinance, which was cleared by the Union Cabinet in its first meeting yesterday, was sent to President Pranab Mukherjee soon after for his approval. It will have to be ratified by both Houses of Parliament within six weeks of the commencement of a session.
Mr Misra had already assumed the role of Principal Secretary before Mr Modi was sworn-in on May 26. (
Nripendra Misra Named Principal Secretary to Prime Minister)
The Ordinance amends Section 5(8) the TRAI Act, 1997, which points out that the "chairperson or any other member ceasing to hold office as such, shall (a) be ineligible for further employment under the central government or any state government, or (b) not accept any commercial employment, for a period of two years from the date he ceases to hold such office."
Mr Misra, a 1967-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, remained the TRAI chairman from 2006 to 2009. In keeping with the rules, he could not have been appointed as Principal secretary to the Prime Minister, without amending the relevant provision of the Act.
Before heading the telecom regulator, Mr Misra had held several important positions in the government of India. He was secretary in the ministries of telecom and commerce.
Mr Misra was also Principal Secretary to Kalyan Singh when he was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in the early 1990s.