Gov Dhankhar seeks report from Bengal govt on next DGP choice
Governor seeks info on steps taken for appointment of top cop
Close on the heels of a fierce tug of war between the Centre and the Mamata Banerjee government over retired IAS officer Alapan Bandyopadhyay’s stint as the West Bengal chief secretary, another controversy is likely to unfold in the state over the selection and appointment of the next director-general of police (DGP).
Current DGP Virendra is due to retire on August 31 this year. He was removed by the Election Commission as the state's top cop during the Assembly election over the BJP's allegations of bias towards the ruling Trinamul Congress. The 1985-batch IPS officer, known to be in the good books of the CM, was however reinstated by the TMC chief after coming to power for the third consecutive time.
Though it is not clear whether chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also the state home minister, has any plans to seek an extension for Virendra like she did and also succeeded in the case of Mr Bandyopadhyay. Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, however, flagged his concerns on her government's role in the selection process of the next state DGP.
"...Incumbent DGP Shri Virendra, IPS (1985), superannuates on August 31, 2021, and the process for appointment of successor DGP as per Supreme Court directive deserves to be started before three months. Am sure this must have been done and the names of IPS officers eligible, and superannuating post-February 28, 2022, must have been sent to the concerned," Mr Dhankar said in a statement.
He added that the state government is required to send its proposals at least three months prior to the retirement date of the incumbent DGP. Sources claimed that the list was not sent till the reports last came in.
"Government @MamataOfficial shall appoint 1 person from the panel prepared by UPSC and shall not appoint acting DGP or on a temporary basis. Supreme Court directives to be scrupulously followed. WB plea seeking modification declined by Supreme Court on January 16, 2019," Mr Dhankhar tweeted on Thursday afternoon.