Prasar Bharati Chairman Navneet Kumar Sehgal resigns

New Delhi: Navneet Kumar Sehgal, the Chairman of Prasar Bharati, has resigned from his position just nine months into a three-year term, leaving more than a year remaining in his tenure.

The resignation, submitted on December 2, was accepted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on December 3, with Sehgal being relieved of his duties with immediate effect.

Sehgal, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1988 Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed as Chairman of the Prasar Bharati Board on March 16, 2024, following a vacancy that had lasted over four years.

His term was originally set to run until March 2027. The acceptance of his resignation was formalised under Section 7(6) of the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990, as confirmed in a ministry letter.

No official reasons for the abrupt departure have been provided by either Sehgal or the ministry, leaving speculation in media circles about potential underlying factors.

Prior to his role at Prasar Bharati, Sehgal had a 35-year career in government service, retiring in July 2023 as Additional Chief Secretary to the Uttar Pradesh government. He held key positions across various sectors, including media and public relations, finance, industry, law and order, land management, tourism, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), information, and energy.

The ministry's acceptance letter was circulated to senior officials, including the CEO of Prasar Bharati, the Principal Secretary to the Vice President, the Principal Secretary to the Information and Broadcasting Minister, and the Chairperson of the Press Council of India. 

As of now, there has been no announcement regarding an interim replacement or the process for appointing a new chairman, with clarity on the broadcaster's leadership transition awaited.