Bhubaneswar: The selection of Odisha’s next Director General of Police (DGP) has hit a roadblock, with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) empanelment committee deferring its decision on the three officers to be shortlisted for the state’s top police post.
The committee met in New Delhi on Friday to consider the names of senior Odisha-cadre IPS officers eligible for appointment as DGP. However, sources said the meeting remained inconclusive, leaving the final three-name panel yet to be decided.
With incumbent DGP YB Khurania, an IPS officer of 1990 batch, scheduled to retire on August 16, the delay has raised questions over who will head the Odisha Police after his retirement and whether the state government may have to make an interim arrangement.
UPSC Yet to Finalise Three Names
Under the procedure laid down by the Supreme Court, the state government first sends a list of eligible senior IPS officers to the UPSC. The Commission’s empanelment committee then scrutinises the officers and prepares a panel of three names.
The state government is required to select the new DGP from this UPSC panel.
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The Odisha government had sent a list of 11 senior IPS officers to the UPSC in May for consideration. The list included three officers of Director General rank, while the remaining officers were serving at the Additional Director General (ADG) level.
The three DG-ranked officers in the list were:
- Sudhansu Sarangi, 1990-batch IPS officer and Chief of Odisha Fire Services
- RP Koche, 1993-batch IPS officer and Director, Intelligence
- Susanta Nath, 1993-batch IPS officer and DG, Prisons
The remaining eight officers were ADG-rank IPS officers.
Integrity Certificate Issue Emerges
The latest development centres on one of the three DG-ranked officers.
Sources said the Odisha government reportedly informed the UPSC panel during Friday’s meeting that it was planning to withdraw the integrity certificate of one of the three DG-ranked officers.
An integrity certificate is an important part of the empanelment process. It can be withheld or withdrawn by the government if material facts, disciplinary proceedings or other relevant developments concerning an officer emerge.
The reason for the proposed withdrawal was not immediately known.
The development has also raised questions about why the issue was not taken into account when the state government initially prepared and forwarded the list of 11 officers to the UPSC in May.
With the integrity-related issue now reportedly before the empanelment committee, the panel could not arrive at a final decision on the three names.
Who Are the Key Contenders?
The original list included three DG-ranked officers who were among the prominent contenders for the top police position.
Sudhansu Sarangi (1990 batch) is currently heading Odisha Fire Services. As the senior-most DG-ranked officer among those named, his candidature is being closely watched.
RP Koche (1993 batch) is serving as Director, Intelligence, a key assignment within the state police establishment.
Susanta Nath (1993 batch) is serving as DG, Prisons and is also among the senior officers considered for the post.
However, the final three names will be decided by the UPSC empanelment committee after considering the eligibility and service records of the officers included in the state government’s proposal.
The development concerning the integrity certificate could potentially affect the composition of the final panel.
What Is the UPSC Empanelment Committee?
The UPSC committee constituted for the DGP selection process includes senior representatives from the Centre and the state.
The empanelment committee comprises:
- A member of the UPSC
- A representative of the Ministry of Home Affairs
- The head of a central police organisation who is not from the Odisha cadre
- The Odisha Chief Secretary
- The outgoing Odisha DGP
The committee examines the eligible officers and prepares the panel of three names from which the state government has to select its police chief.
Since Friday’s meeting did not result in a final panel, the process remains incomplete.
DGP Retirement Date Adds to the Pressure
The delay assumes significance because incumbent DGP YB Khurania is due to retire on August 16.
With only a short window remaining before his retirement, sources indicated that it may be difficult for the UPSC empanelment committee to reconvene and complete the process within the next few days.
If the three-name panel is not finalised before Khurania’s retirement, the Odisha government may have to make an interim arrangement to ensure continuity at the top of the state police force.
One possibility could be the appointment of an acting DGP until the UPSC completes the empanelment process and the state government makes the final appointment.
Supreme Court Rules Govern DGP Appointment
The selection process is governed by the framework laid down by the Supreme Court in the Prakash Singh case, which sought to insulate police leadership from arbitrary appointments and ensure a transparent process for the appointment of state police chiefs.
Under the court-mandated mechanism, the UPSC prepares a panel of three eligible senior officers, following which the state government selects the DGP from among those names.
The Supreme Court has also emphasised the importance of appointing a regular DGP rather than making an appointment merely on an acting basis.
This creates a potential complication for Odisha if the UPSC panel is not finalised before the retirement of the incumbent police chief.
Odisha Police Now Awaits Clarity
For now, the identity of the next Odisha DGP remains undecided.
The UPSC empanelment committee’s failure to finalise the three names on Friday means the state government cannot yet proceed with the final selection under the prescribed process.
The immediate focus will now be on when the empanelment committee reconvenes, how the reported integrity certificate issue is resolved and which three officers ultimately make it to the UPSC panel.
With YB Khurania’s retirement on August 16 approaching, the Odisha government faces a tight timeline to ensure that the transition at the top of the state police force takes place without administrative uncertainty.
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