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After Punjab and UP, West Bengal govt to change selection process for Director General of Police

The state government decided Tuesday to introduce a committee for selecting the DGP that will not require the Centre’s nod

DGP Rajeev Kumar.

After Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, the West Bengal government is now also introducing a selection committee to appoint the State’s Director General of Police (DGP) without relying on the Centre’s nod.

On Tuesday, the State cabinet decided to constitute the committee.

A year after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab brought in legislation to independently appoint the State Director General of Police (DGP) without the Centre’s nod, the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh approved similar guidelines for the selection of the State police chief bypassing the Centre last November.

For the last few months, the Bengal government has had an acting DGP — Rajeev Kumar. A senior cabinet colleague of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said, “Next year before the Assembly election, Kumar will retire. Banerjee doesn’t have a close and trustworthy police officer like Rajeev Kumar who can help her out in the next Assembly elections. But if this rule is implemented, then Kumar will remain DG for the next two years and will retire from the role in 2027.”

A senior official of the state Home department said, “To make the selection committee, our state will almost entirely follow the UP government’s way. The selection committee for appointing the new DGP will be headed by a retired High Court judge and comprise the State Chief Secretary, a UPSC nominee, the West Bengal Public Service Commission Chairman or its nominee, the Home Department Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary, and a retired State DGP as its members.

“In this new rule there is no provision to get a nod from the Central government on this issue,” he said.

He said, “To be eligible for selection, candidates must have six months of service remaining on the date of creation of the vacancy. Officers who are currently serving in the Director General (DG) role at Level 16 of the pay matrix will be considered for selection. The minimum tenure of the DGP will be two years.”

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In the existing system, the state government has to send a list of the three senior-most officers to the Central government, from which the Union Public Service Commission would select the name of the new DGP.

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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