The extension of their tenure was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

New Delhi: Centre has given a six-month extension to both Intelligence Bureau director Rajiv Jain and chief of Research & Analysis Wing, Anil K. Dhasmana. The tenure of both the officers was to finish at the end of this month. While Mr Jain’s tenure was to finish on December 30, that of Mr Dhasmana’s was to retire on December 29.

Sources claimed the government decided to grant six-month extension to both the officers in view of the Lok Sabha polls scheduled for early next year.

The extension of their tenure was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There was a view within the government that the decision to appoint new chiefs of IB and R&AW should be left to the new government once it is voted to power after the general elections.

Mr Jain, an 1980-batch IPS officer from Jharkhand, was appointed IB director on December 30, 2016, for a period of two years. He has been a recipient of the President’s Police Medal, and has served in various departments of the intelligence agency, including the sensitive Kashmir desk. Mr Jain was also an advisor to the previous NDA government’s interlocutor on Kashmir, K.C. Pant, when talks were held with separatist leaders such as Shabbir Shah.

Mr Dhasmana is a 1981-batch officer from Madhya Pradesh cadre and has been with R&AW for more than 23 years during which he served in important devisions, including the Pakistan desk. The R&AW is tasked with gathering external intelligence.

In addition, the ACC also redesignated Anil Srivastava, 1985-batch IAS officer from the Madhya Pradesh, cadre from advisor, Niti Aayog, to principal adviser.