Nath was given a two-month extension until May 31 so that budget presentation work was not affected. By the end of July, all these posts will have new officers.

Of the above officials, Pillai and Nath are said to be front-runners for the post Chief Vigilance Commissioner while Rao may be sent as Indian ambassador to the US.

Meanwhile, Ajith Kumar Seth succeeds K M Chandrasekhar, the 1970 batch officer, as Cabinet Secretary. Chandrasekhar was appointed to the post in 2007.

A revolt was said to be brewing among a section of the senior IAS officers against a
possible third extension to Chandrasekhar as these officers had met T K A Nair, principal secretary to prime minister Manmohan Singh, recently.

Perhaps to avoid a possible protest, the prime minister agreed to make Seth, a 1974 IAS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, the new Cabinet Secretary, when he touring Africa nations, last week.

With the appointment of Seth, known to be an upright officer, the Centre has sought to convey a message that it has fallen back on maintaining seniority at the top of bureaucracy and that it has picked an officer known for his integrity.