In a significant administrative reshuffle, Khirwar has been appointed as the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), one of the most powerful bureaucratic positions in the city.

The controversy dates back to May 26, 2022, when viral images showed Khirwar and his wife, Rinku Dugga (also an IAS officer), strolling across the empty tracks of the stadium with their pet. Reports suggested that national-level athletes and their coaches were ordered to wrap up their training early to facilitate the bureaucrat’s evening walk. The incident sparked nationwide outrage, leading the Ministry of Home Affairs to take disciplinary action by transferring Khirwar to Ladakh and his wife to Arunachal Pradesh as a “punitive measure.”

After nearly four years away from the capital, Khirwar's return to helm the MCD has raised eyebrows. He succeeds Ashwini Kumar, who has been transferred to Jammu and Kashmir. While Khirwar had maintained that he never intentionally disrupted any athlete’s training, the public perception of the ‘dog-walking’ incident remains strong. His appointment as MCD Commissioner puts him back in charge of Delhi's civic infrastructure and administration, marking a complete full circle in his controversial career path.