The formal orders on Sinha's new posting have been issuedafter clearance from the Prime Minister and the appointments committee. He will be relieved in a week. Sinha who is an IAS officer of the 1979 batch of Delhi-Andaman Nicobar cadre, will report directly to the High Commissioner. Before joining as private secretary to Vajpayee, Sinha was posted as director (education) in the Delhi government. His new posting in London is in the joint secretary rank.

Sources said the move to shift Sinha to London was initiated after the Vajpayee government lost the confidence vote in the Lok Sabha. The post which is considered to be quite lucrative usually goes to an IFS officer.