Navneet Sehgal Quits as Prasar Bharati Board Chairperson

New Delhi: Halfway into his tenure, former IAS officer Navneet Kumar Sehgal submitted his resignation as chairperson of the Prasar Bharati board on Tuesday and the Union information and broadcasting ministry accepted it on Wednesday (December 3).

Prasar Bharati is an autonomous statutory body that runs, among other things, the Doordarshan broadcasting service as well as the Akashvani radio service.

A letter from A.M. Kumar, director at the I&B ministry's broadcasting administration programme, informed Sehgal on Wednesday that he was relieved of his responsibility as Prasar Bharati chairperson with immediate effect.

Sehgal, a former IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed to his post in March last year – until which time it had remained vacant for over four years – and was scheduled to demit office following a three-year tenure.

Prior to his appointment he had superannuated from the civil service in July 2023 with the rank of additional chief secretary to the Uttar Pradesh government.

He was known for being Bahujan Samaj Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati's most trusted officer, the Indian Express reported, noting that he also enjoyed influence in the Samajwadi Party and BJP governments that went on to rule the state.

He was appointed to the IAS in 1988.

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