The Delhi High Court is set to address the Union Public Service Commission’s petition contesting the Central Administrative Tribunal’s directive for West Bengal to finalize the new DGP recruitment by January 31. Despite naming Peeyush Pandey as Rajeev Kumar’s successor, he currently serves as an acting DGP due to ongoing legal complexities. The court’s decision will impact whether West Bengal proceeds to the upcoming Assembly elections with an acting or permanent DGP.
All eyes are on the court proceedings as the CAT had instructed West Bengal to submit proposals to the UPSC by January 23 for the new DGP appointment process to conclude by January 31. Last week, the state forwarded eight IPS officers’ names, including Rajeev Kumar, seeking his appointment as DGP. However, fresh challenges emerged when the UPSC contested the CAT’s order, leading to uncertainties in the appointment process.
The state government is required to propose a list of serving IPS officers for the DGP post, which the UPSC then approves from the provided names. The complications arose after the UPSC returned the list recommended by West Bengal, prompting the Director of the UPSC to advise approaching the Supreme Court for clearance on Rajeev Kumar’s successor appointment. The issue traces back to the retirement of Rajeev Kumar’s predecessor, Manoj Malviya, in December 2023.
