Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government has sent a panel of three names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the new Director General of Police (DGP). The panel includes IPS officers Pawan Dev and Arun Dev Gautam from the 1992 batch, along with Himanshu Gupta from the 1994 batch. Initially, there were five names on the list, including IPS officers SRP Kalluri and Pradeep Gupta, but ultimately, the panel was finalized with just three names. To qualify for the DGP position, an officer must have at least 30 years of service which is also considered in relation to the DGP’s retirement date. Ashok Juneja, the current DGP, is set to retire on February 5, 2025. After him, Pawan Dev from the 1992 batch is the most senior, followed by Arun Dev Gautam. Then there are Himanshu Gupta, GP Singh, and SRP Kalluri from the 1994 batch. Notably, GP Singh has already completed his service. IPS officer Pradeep Gupta from the 1995 batch will also complete his 30 years of service next month, making him eligible for the panel. However, the state government has the authority to decide which names to send forward. UPSC’s Authority to Modify the Panel If the UPSC is not satisfied with the names in the panel, it has the right to add names of other officers who meet the 30 years of service requirement based on the grading list, or it can return the panel to the state government for revision. Fortunately, in Chhattisgarh’s case, this is unlikely since the names in the panel are qualified for the DGP position. Concerns about UPSC objections typically arise when junior officers are included while overlooking senior officers. Next Steps with the DPC After the state government submits the panel to the UPSC, a date will be set for the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting, where the final panel for the DGP will be decided. The DPC reviews the complete profiles of the officers before preparing the panel.
Who is in the DPC?
The DPC for finalizing the DGP panel includes the UPSC chairman, who is usually present. If they cannot attend due to unforeseen circumstances, another UPSC member steps in. Additionally, a representative from the Ministry of Home Affairs, typically at the joint secretary level, the chief secretary of the state, the Additional Chief Secretary for Home, and the current DGP are part of the committee. A senior officer from the central paramilitary forces also participates. Together, they evaluate the candidates based on their merits. Final Approval Process
Once the panel is finalized by the UPSC, it is sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs for approval. The MHA then forwards the panel to the state government, which has the authority to select one name for the DGP appointment The whole process needs to be finalized before February 5th The UPSC usually asks for the panel three months in advance because it takes time to go through the process from the DPC to the MHA. But the panel from Chhattisgarh is late. It was supposed to be sent by November 5th, but it’s about a month behind. Everyone from the UPSC to the MHA needs to prioritize this now. The state government needs to decide who the new DGP will be from the panel by February 5th. The current DGP, Ashok Juneja, will retire on February 5th, 2025. The Chief Minister, Vishnu Dev Sai, has to announce the new DGP before that. This means the order for the new head of the Chhattisgarh Police will be out by the evening of **February 5th**.