Chandigarh, August 11 Bharat Bhushan Batra, an advocate of Rohtak; R.D. Sheokand, IAS (retd); M.P. Bidlan, IAS (retd); and Prem Prakash, an advocate of Gohana; were administered the oath of office and secrecy as members of the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) by Governor A.R. Kidwai here this evening.

These members were appointed following the suspension of eight members and the chairman of the HPSC after the President of India made a reference to the Supreme Court for their removal. Before that the state cabinet had raised the strength of the commission to 12 besides the chairman. Batra, a law graduate, will also act as the chairman of the HPSC. A practising advocate at Rohtak, Batra had been a director of the Oriental Bank of Commerce.

Sheokand was an additional principal secretary to the Chief Minister before his appointment as a member of the commission. A postgraduate as well as a law graduate, Sheokand had joined the Haryana Civil Service (HCS) in 1974 and was promoted to the IAS in 1990. He remained the DC of several districts before he was taken in the Chief Minister’s office. He was to retire from the IAS in January 2009.

Holder of a master’s degree in political science, Bidlan also joined the HCS in 1974 and was promoted to the IAS in 1992. He served the state government in various capacities like SDM and DC in various districts. He was to retire from the IAS in January 2010.

An advocate of Gohana, Prem Prakash remained a member of the Haryana State Finance Commission. His father, Rati Ram, was also a member of the HPSC.

In selecting the new members of the HPSC, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has not only given weight to their educational qualifications but also given representation to various castes in the caste-ridden state.

While Batra represents the Punjabi community (migrants from West Pakistan ), Sheokand is a Jat, Bidlan is a Scheduled Caste and Prem Prakash is a Brahmin.

Among those who were present at the swearing-in ceremony were Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda; president of the Haryana Congress Phool Chand Mullana; working president of the Haryana Congress Kuldeep Sharma, education minister Mange Ram Gupta; industries minister Lachhman Dass Arora; chief parliamentary secretary Dharambir and family members of the newly appointed members of the HPSC.

Courtesy: The Tribune Chandigarh

Posted on September 06,, 2008