Aunjaneya Kumar Singh, a 2005 batch IAS from Sikkim cadre will work in his native state Uttar Pradesh for at least one year more till August 2026.
Singh, who came to Uttar Pradesh in 2015 on interstate deputation initially for five years, have got extension for seventh time.
This time Singh got extension in a dramatic way as his deputation term ended on August 14, 2025 without green signal from centre about his extension. He proceeded for 60 days leave also after handing over his charge as divisional commissioner Moradabad. Now that extension has been granted it is believed that he will cut short his leave and rejoin soon.
The extension of Singh has reinforced the fact that the officer is close to chief minister Yogi Adityanath. During his 20 years long career, Singh has spent less than 10 years in his home cadre and more than half of his service tenure in home state.
Who is Aunjaneya Kumar Singh?
Singh hails from Salahabad village in Mau district. His father, Dr. Mahendra Singh, retired as Head of the Geography Department and Chief Proctor of DCSK PG College, Mau.
Known as a tough officer, Singh's tenure in UP was riddled with controversies. In 2019, when he was the district magistrate of Rampur, SP's Azam Khan, riled by strict enforcement of election rules by Singh, said during an election rally that he would get his shoes cleaned by the DM after the election
The subsequent action against Khan and his family, including a report on his son Abdullah Khan, resulted in Khan losing his membership of the UP Assembly. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had raised questions on Singh's role in action against Azam, his apparent closeness to the BJP, and his subsequent extensions. Ironically, Singh came to UP when Yadav was the chief minister.
Singh was later promoted to divisional commissioner of Moradabad, which covers Rampur and Sambhal districts, the latter of which threw up the next big controversy
When communal violence rocked Sambhal in Nov 2024 following a court-mandated survey of a mosque, which some claimed was built over a temple, Akhilesh and Singh traded poetic jibes over social media
When Singh was given extension just before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Akhilesh openly questioned the decision and challenged it before the Election Commission on the grounds that it was against service rules.
When Singh came to UP in 2015 on interstate deputation, he was first appointed special secretary of irrigation and water resources.
In July 2016, he was transferred to Bulandshahr as district magistrate.
In April 2017, he was made additional commissioner, commercial tax, followed by a tenure as district magistrate of Fatehpur and then of Rampur. In March 2021, he was appointed divisional commissioner of Moradabad.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
