OP Singh Retires Today; UPSC Panel to Finalise Names for Haryana DGP

Haryana’s officiating Director General of Police O.P. Singh is set to retire on December 31, paving the way for the appointment of a new police chief. The state Home Department on Tuesday issued retirement orders for OP Singh and Muhammad Akil, Commandant General, Home Guards and Director Civil Defence, on attaining the age of superannuation.

Meanwhile, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) empanelment committee is meeting today (Wednesday) to finalise a panel of three IPS officers for the post of Haryana DGP. The panel will be forwarded to the state government, with official orders for the new DGP expected to be issued on January 1.

The UPSC meeting is being attended by senior state officials, including Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi and Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Mishra. Ahead of the meeting, dossiers of all five shortlisted IPS officers were prepared for consideration.

Earlier, on December 16, the Haryana government had sent a panel of five IPS officers to the UPSC. These include Shatrujeet Kapur (1990 batch), Sanjeev Kumar Jain (1991 batch), Ajay Singhal (1992 batch), Alok Mittal, and Dr A.S. Chawla (both 1993 batch). All five officers are in the rank of DGP.

As per the revised 2023 guidelines, only officers holding the DGP rank at Level-16 of the Pay Matrix and having a minimum of six months’ residual service on the date of vacancy are eligible for consideration. The selection process also follows the Supreme Court’s 2006 judgment, which mandates that the state government appoint the DGP from among three UPSC-empanelled senior officers based on service record, integrity, and experience.

OP Singh was given additional charge as DGP on October 14, after then DGP Shatrujeet Kapur was sent on leave amid mounting pressure following the suicide of IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar. Kapur was formally removed from the post on December 14.

Sources indicate that Ajay Singhal and Alok Mittal are currently seen as frontrunners for the post, though the final decision will rest with the state government after receiving the UPSC panel. The appointment of the new DGP is expected to be the first major administrative decision of the new year under Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.