New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Madhukar Gupta, an IAS officer of the 1971 batch, will succeed V.K. Duggal as the home secretary on April 1.

Gupta Monday took over as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the ministry and will become secretary after Duggal demits office on March 31, said a home ministry statement.

The choice of Gupta as home secretary took many by surprise, as Commerce Secretary G.K. Pillai was the frontrunner for the crucial post.

Before taking over his present assignment, Gupta was secretary in the ministry of youth affairs and sports.

According to a previous cabinet decision, Gupta will serve for two years as home secretary.

A couple of years ago it had been decided to have a minimum tenure of two years for the cabinet secretary, the home secretary, the director of Central Bureau of Investigation, and the chief of the Intelligence Bureau.