IAS officer Rajit Punhani takes charge as FSSAI CEO

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has a new chief at a defining moment. Rajit Punhani, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, formally took charge on Monday as Chief Executive Officer, according to reports from Business Standard.

Punhani arrives with more than three decades in government, including recent stints as Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Secretary of the Rajya Sabha, and CEO of Sansad TV. He has also served as Principal Secretary in Bihar. An alumnus of St Stephen’s College and IIM Bangalore, Punhani is widely regarded as a seasoned administrator with experience across central, state, and parliamentary institutions.

His appointment coincides with one of the most contentious policy debates facing the regulator: the rollout of front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPNL) rules. The Supreme Court has directed the government to finalise regulations mandating packaged food companies to display sugar, salt and saturated fat content prominently on their labels. Initially due in July, the deadline was extended until October after FSSAI sought more time to complete its expert committee’s recommendations, as reported by The Law Advice and Economic Times.

The stakes are high. Public health advocates argue that the rules are critical to tackling India’s rising incidence of diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Yet progress has been halting. The Times of India recently reported that activists have accused the regulator of dragging its feet, alleging that industry lobbying has delayed implementation of science-backed warning labels.

Punhani’s challenge will be to balance these competing pressures. On one side, courts and health campaigners are pressing for swift and robust regulation. On the other, the powerful packaged food industry has raised concerns over the economic and operational implications of strict labelling norms.

For the incoming CEO, this is more than a routine administrative handover. His tenure begins with FSSAI under scrutiny from the judiciary, civil society and consumers alike. Whether he can steer the regulator towards timely, transparent and credible food labelling reforms will determine not just his early legacy, but also FSSAI’s standing as a public health watchdog.

FSSAI did not issue an immediate comment on Punhani’s appointment or the status of the labelling regulations.