Kolkata: Senior West Bengal IPS officer Rajesh Kumar (1990 batch) has moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), alleging that he was illegally excluded from the panel for the post of Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal. Kumar described the decision as “discriminatory and unreasonable.”
Allegations Against UPSC Decision
In his petition, Kumar challenged the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) decision, stating that his name should have been considered among the top three candidates based on seniority. He claimed the omission had “no justification” as he had fulfilled all eligibility norms for the post.
Mr Kumar further stated that he, along with two other senior officers – Rajiv Kumar (1989 batch), the current acting DGP, and Ranveer Kumar (1990 batch) – were “illegally removed” from the panel, despite meeting the mandatory requirement of having more than six months of residual service when the DGP post became vacant on December 27, 2023.
Details of the Controversy
According to the petition, in July 2025, the West Bengal state government had submitted a list of ten eligible IPS officers to the UPSC, all of whom had over six months of residual service remaining.
However, during its meeting on October 30, 2025, the UPSC excluded the three senior-most officers, citing that they no longer met the residual service requirement as of the meeting date. Officers with longer remaining tenure were recommended instead, a decision Kumar described as unjust and discriminatory.
Implications
The case highlights ongoing tensions over seniority and eligibility norms in high-level police appointments in West Bengal. A decision by the CAT could potentially influence future appointments and clarify the interpretation of residual service rules for DGP postings.
