India, May 26 -- The Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday appointed acting chief secretary Sanjay Gupta as the chief secretary, just five days before his superannuation.

The personnel department secretary issued the notification following orders from chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The appointment takes effect immediately and has been made "in public interest." It comes at a time when the state government is focusing on governance reforms, infrastructure development, and administrative efficiency.

Since Gupta was scheduled to retire on May 31, the appointment has sparked speculation that the government may grant him a service extension. Discussions regarding a new chief secretary had already begun within administrative circles....