india

Updated: Jul 16, 2019 21:35 IST

Former Journalist and columnist turned President’s press secretary Ashok Malik, is all set to leave Rashtrapati Bhavan at the end of the month. People familiar with the development confirmed that Malik will not seek an extension of his term which ends on July 31.

Sources in the government however, do not rule out another assignment for Malik in the Narendra Modi government.

Before he was handpicked to be the press secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind to oversee matters relating to the media and Rashtrapati Bhavan’s cultural activities in July 2017, Malik was a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation.

A journalist for 20 years before becoming an ORF fellow, Malik kept a low-profile during his tenure. He was part of the team seen to be key Modi supporters who played a key role in the 2014 campaign.

When the government named President Kovind’s three top aides in July 2017, it had made it clear that the appointments were being made for an initial term of two years.

It is usual for the press secretary’s term to last as long as the President’s.

For instance, when President APJ Abdul Kalam picked CBI spokesman SM Khan to be his press secretary, the Indian Information Service officer stayed in the post during his entire tenure at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Another information service officer Archana Dutta also served as the press secretary to President Pratibha Patil for her full term. Diplomat Venu Rajamony was the press secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee and once he demitted office, went back to being an envoy.