Sanjit Kumar Sinha takes oath as PPSC chairman

Chandigarh, May 9 (UNI) Senior IAS officer of the Punjab cadre Sanjit Kumar Sinha was today sworn-in as the chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission after he took voluntary retirement from the administrative services yesterday.

Punjab Governor Gen (retd) S F Rodrigues administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Sinha at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhawan today in the presence of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, several ministers and senior civil and police officials of the state.

Talking to reporters after the swearing-in ceremony, Mr Sinha said he would do his best to justify the new job given to him. ''I will face the challenge,'' he said while agreeing that the task of the PPSC chairman was a challenging job.

He suceedes Lt Gen (retd) Surjit Singh as the PPSC chairman.

Before Lt Gen Surjit Singh, Ravi Sindhu was the PPSC chairman who was unceremoniously removed following his arrest in the infamous cash-for-job scam case.

Mr Sinha had been holding the office of the Financial Commissioner Development (FCD) before resigning and taking voluntary retirement yesterday.

Mr Sinha had been in the thick of controvesry when he was removed from the post of the principal secretary to the chief minister in December 2003 following a hue and cry made by some ministers.

Hailing from Orissa as his home state, Mr Sinha has been holding coveted posts during his 32-year-long stint as the IAS officer in the Punjab cadre.

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