Devendra Singh Chauhan remains as caretaker for now, suspense over full time U.P. DGP continues

Lucknow: The police department in Uttar Pradesh is headed by a ‘caretaker’ DGP Devendra Singh Chauhan. He also has the charge of DG, Intelligence. On the issue of appointment of permanent DGP, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had sent a question to the state government a few days ago as to why the previous DGP Mukul Goyal was removed by the UP government. No officer is ready to speak on the question of permanent DGP. However, if sources are to be believed, if UPSC sits after 30 September to decide the panel in October, then Devendra Singh Chauhan will also be out of the DGP race.

Officials not ready to speak about the new DGP

A senior IAS officer in the CM’s office refused to confirm or deny whether the answer to the UPSC question has been sent to the government. Following the Supreme Court’s 2006 order on police reforms, state governments are compelled to send the names of DGP empaneled officers to the UPSC. UPSC picks three names and sends them back to the state to select any one of them.

Devendra Singh Chauhan was made new DGP by Yogi government

After the appointment of Devendra Singh Chauhan as the acting DGP, the government has shown no readiness to send the names of Goyal’s successor to the UPSC. The list was sent in the first week of September. Sources said the delay in sending the names of potential candidates for the post of DGP had its own reasons. The Supreme Court order states that the UPSC will form a panel of three officers on the basis of their length of service, record and extent of experience, to lead the police force. The candidate should have a minimum tenure of two years once selected for the job.

Yogi government had sent names of officers to UPSC

Sources said the IPS officers whose names were sent to the UPSC include acting DGP Devendra Singh Chauhan, senior IPS officers RP Singh, GL Meena, DG (Prisons) Anand Kumar and Anil Agarwal (on deputation). According to senior IPS officers, if the UPSC reckons the service of six months before retirement from the date of appointment of the DGP after sending the panel of three names, it is likely that RP Singh and GL Meena will not be in the list of DGPs.