Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): All eyes are set on the appointment of the Director General Police (DGP) after the selection of Anurag Jain as Chief Secretary (CS). Present DGP Sudhir Saxena is retiring on November 30. Since just a month is left for Saxena’s retirement, suggestions are coming thick and fast for his heir.
Nevertheless, the Central government’s role in DGP’s appointment is evident. Jain, who was on deputation at the Centre, was quickly relieved and sent to the state. Afterwards, order for his appointment to the post of CS was issued. Because of the court’s order in DGP’s appointment, there is no such process as happens in the CS’s appointment.
The government is free in terms of CS’s appointment. The government can appoint anyone, who is working on the pay-scale of Chief Secretary, as CS. On other hand, one of the three officers of the UPSC panel can be appointed as DGP.
There are discussions among the IPS officers whether the state government will appoint a DGP on its own or the Centre will play an important role in it. The officers, whose names are doing the rounds for the post of DGP, do not have such links with the Central Government as Jain has.
Ergo, there are chances that the decision to appoint DGP may be left to the State Government. According to seniority list, the names of DG (Home guards) Arvind Kumar, Chairman of MP Police Housing Corporation Kailash Makwana and DG (EOW) Ajay Sharma are on top. If UPSC does not consider their names, the name of DG (Jails) GP Singh and that of special DG (RAPTC) Indore Varun Kapoor are on the seniority list.
According to sources, UPSC may hold a meeting in connection with the appointment of DGP in mid-November, after which the panel will be sent to the state government.
