Major IPS Reshuffle: Anjani Kumar takes over the mantle, appointed Head of Telangana Police

Hyderabad: Who will be Telangana's next Director General of Police (DGP)? This question has been making rounds in the IPS network as incumbent Mudireddy Mahendar Reddy is set to retire on December 31, 2022.

On 29th December, in a major reshuffle the ChandraShekar Rao government appointed IPS Anjani Kumar (1990 batch) as the Head of Police - Telangana, ending speculations. The norm is that the state government selects five DGP rank officers with 30 years of service and sends the names to the committee constituted by the UPSC. The UPSC then hand-picks three officials and reverts. The state government has the prerogative to appoint one of the three IPS officials who it finds most suitable.

Major Reshuffle:

1. Anjani Kumar, IPS (1990), director general, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Telangana is transferred and posted as director general of police (coordination), Telangana and placed in full additional charge of the post of director general of police (HOPF), Telangana in place of M. Mahendar Reddy who is retiring from service on superannuation on 31 December.

2. Ravi Gupta, IPS (1990), principal secretary to the government, Home department is transferred and posted as director general, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Telangana. The Member of Service is also placed in full additional charge of the post of director general (V&E), general administration department, until further orders.

3. Dr. Jitender, IPS (1992), additional director general of police (L&O), Telangana is transferred and posted as principal secretary to the government, Home department. The Member of Service is also placed in full additional charge of the post of director general of prisons and correctional services, Telangana, Hyderabad, until further orders.

4. Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat, IPS (1995), Rachakonda commissioner of police, is transferred and posted as additional director general of police, CID, Telangana in the existing vacancy.

5. Devendra Singh Chauhan, IPS (1997), additional commissioner of police (L&O), Hyderabad city is transferred and posted as Rachakonda commissioner of police.

6. Sanjay Kumar Jain, IPS (1997), additional director general of police (P&L), Telangana is transferred and posted as additional director general of police (L&O), Telangana, Hyderabad. The Member of Service is also placed in full additional charge of the post of director general, Telangana State Disaster Response & Fire Services, Hyderabad, until further orders.

Procedure to appoint a DGP

Picking an officer for the post of Director General of Police, is the state's prerogative. The government can make interim arrangement and appoint an `in-charge' DGP till a full-time appointment is made. The government can simply inform the Home Ministry.

"IPS officer Prakash Singh of the 1959 batch once headed the Uttar Pradesh police as its DGP. He later became DGP of Border Security Forces. Vexed by the frequent transfers of IPS officials which lasted not more than 3 months, especially of the Superintendent of police rank. I am talking about the year 2006 when an officer knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court. Hearing this particular petition, the SC gave certain directions," former Hyderabad Commissioner MV Krishna Rao told NewsMeter

"These directions are 'Judge made laws'. As per the appointment of the police chief is concerned, the state government should consider all DGP ranks officials, even those on central deputation, to prepare a list with confidential records of their service and send it to UPSC. The committee will go through the list and shortlist any three names, based on their perception of merit of the candidate, out of the last 3 state governments have the prerogative to choose any name".

After appointing him or her, the names of all DGPs with residual tenure should be sent to the UPSC. Usually, the UPSC picks the one who has been working as interim Head of police of the state, and then the state government goes ahead and appoints the person by passing administrative order.