Former union home secretary Anil Baijal appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi

Former home secretary Anil Baijal was appointed Delhi's new Lieutenant Governor on Wednesday by the NDA government.

File photo

Delhi: Former union home secretary Anil Baijal was appointed Delhi's Lieutenant Governor on Wednesday by the NDA government.

His formal appointment came from President Pranab Mukherjee this evening after a recommendation from PM Narendra Modi's Office.

Tweeting about it, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj wrote:

I welcome Shri #AnilBaijal as the Lt.Governor of Delhi. — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) December 28, 2016

Baijal is from the 1969 batch of the Union Territory cadre and was appointed as the home secretary in February 2004. 

Before joining the home ministry, Baijal was the vice chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

He has also worked as Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar , the chairman and managing director Indian Airlines, commissioner sales tax and excise, national capital territory of Delhi, development commissioner of Goa and councilor in charge of India Aid Mission in Nepal.

Earlier today, the President accepted the resignation of Najeeb Jung.

On December 22, Jung, whose nearly three-and-a-half-year tenure was marked by frequent run-ins with the AAP government, had resigned as Delhi's LG.

The sudden announcement that the 65-year-old former bureaucrat had quit had taken political circles by surprise since only a few days earlier he had written to the Centre that he was going on leave to Goa during Christmas.

In a brief statement, Jung's office had said that he had submitted his resignation to the government and that he would be returning to academics, "his first love".

At the same time, Jung had thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his help and cooperation and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his two-year "association".

A 1973-batch IAS officer, Jung had assumed charge as 19th Lt Governor of Delhi on July 9, 2013, five months before the Delhi Assembly elections.

Before becoming LG, Jung had headed the Jamia Millia Islamia university as vice chancellor.

(With Agency inputs)