Desh Deepak Verma, a retired IAS officer of the 1978 batch currently posted as chairman of UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC), has been appointed the next secretary-general of the Rajya Sabha.
With former UP chief secretary Anup Mishra already working as Lok Sabha secretary general, the top officials of two houses of Parliament will be from Uttar Pradesh.
Verma is expected to assume the new post early next month after he resigns as the UPERC chairman. He will replace Shumsher K Sheriff whose term ends on August 31.
Verma told HT over the phone from Delhi, “I will soon demit the position of UPERC chairman to join as secretary-general, Rajya Sabha.”
As per the notification issued by vice-president and Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, Verma will have a tenure of three years from the date of his joining. The tenure is, however, expendable with no retirement age prescribed for the person holding the post.
Verma, who has 35 years’ administrative experience, retired in June 2013 as secretary, parliamentary affairs, in the central government. He joined as the UPERC chairman only a few months after retirement from the IAS. He still has around 10 months to retire as the UPERC chief. Earlier, he also served as director general, Sports Authority of India.
{{/usCountry}}Verma, who has 35 years’ administrative experience, retired in June 2013 as secretary, parliamentary affairs, in the central government. He joined as the UPERC chairman only a few months after retirement from the IAS. He still has around 10 months to retire as the UPERC chief. Earlier, he also served as director general, Sports Authority of India.
{{/usCountry}}The Rajya Sabha secretary general, who enjoys the rank of cabinet secretary, exercises all the administrative and financial powers with regard to functioning of the upper house.
Coming from Gorakhpur, Verma is a sports buff and was elected Lucknow Golf Club president only a few months ago.
Verma was all set to become the UP’s chief secretary in 2011 but the Mayawati government went back on its decision after getting him relived from the Central deputation.. Later, Anup Mishra, also from the 1978 batch, was appointed chief secretary in place of Atul Gupta who retired on March 31, 2011.
Mishra has been working as secretary- general of the Lok Sabha since his retirement in 2015.