Principal Secretary to PM Nripendra Misra decides to step down; P K Sinha appointed OSD in PMO
PM calls him as 'Most outstanding officer'
New Delhi Aug 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra has decided to step down from his post after serving as a key aide of Modi for over five years.
Misra has been asked by the Prime Minister to continue for two weeks, principal government spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said on Friday.
Modi has appointed P K Sinha, who superannuated as cabinet secretary on Friday, as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the PMO, he said.
Describing Misra, 1967-batch retired IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, as one of the most outstanding officers, Modi said "When I was new to Delhi in 2014, he taught me a lot and his guidance remains extremely valuable."
Conveying his best wishes to 74-year-old retired bureaucrat for the "new phase" of his life, Modi said,"after serving the PMO assiduously and diligently for over five years and making an indelible contribution to India's growth trajectory, Shri Nripendra Misra Ji will be embarking on a new phase of his life. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours."
In a statement, Misra said it has been a privilege for him to serve the country under Modi. "I am deeply grateful to him for this opportunity and the complete confidence he has placed in me," he said.
He said he enjoyed working, committing his every hour and thought for more than five years towards a satisfying journey.
"It is now time for me to move on, even as I remain devoted to public causes and national interest. I thank all colleagues, within and outside the government, friends and my family for this support. I wish Shri Narendra Modi Ji, our Prime Minister, success as he leads our country into a bright future," he said.
Misra has been in the PMO since 2014 after BJP-led NDA came to power and Modi became the Prime Minister.
He was reappointed as the prime minister's principal secretary with a rank of a cabinet minister after the Modi government returned to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
After serving in various capacities in the government, Misra had retired as the chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in 2009.
Misra was appointed in the PMO in 2014 after the government promulgated an ordinance to amend the TRAI Act that could have prevented him from getting the key post.
The TRAI Act prohibits its chairman and members from taking up any other job in the central or state governments after demitting office.
A powerful officer in the PMO, Misra was responsible for coordinating with ministries, and implementing key policy decisions of the government.
After serving the PMO assiduously and diligently for over five years and making an indelible contribution to India’s growth trajectory, Shri Nripendra Misra Ji will be embarking on a new phase of his life. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 30, 2019
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Supreme Court takes suo motu notice of news over dog bite leading to rabies
New Delhi(PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of a media report of dog bite incident leading to rabies, saying it contained some "alarming and disturbing figures".
A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan termed the news item published today in Delhi edition of English daily Times of India as "very disturbing and alarming".
The news report was about the death of a six-year-old girl, who was attacked by a rabid stray dog, in the national capital.
Taking cognisance of the news report, the bench said, "The news item contains some alarming and disturbing figures and facts."
It said every day, hundreds of dog bites were being reported in the city and on its outskirts, leading to rabies and ultimately, children and aged were falling prey to the dreadful disease.
"We take suo motu cognisance of this news item," the bench ordered.
It asked the apex court registry to register it as a suo motu petition in public interest.
"Let this order be placed along with the news report before the Chief Justice of India for appropriate orders," the bench said.
On July 15, while hearing a separate plea alleging harassment over feeding of community dogs in Noida, the apex court had asked the petitioner, "Why don't you feed them in your own house?"
The top court told the petitioner's counsel, "We should leave every lane, every road open for these large hearted people? There is all space for these animals, no space for humans. Why don't you feed them in your own house? Nobody is stopping you."
The observations came in a plea arising out of a March 2025 order of the Allahabad High Court.
The petitioner claimed harassment and said she was unable to feed community dogs in line with the Animal Birth Control Rules.
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