With the tenure of Uttar Pradesh’s current Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar (1990-batch IPS officer) set to end this month, the appointment of a new permanent police chief remains uncertain. Sources indicate that the UP government has not yet submitted a formal proposal to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for a full-time DGP, making it highly unlikely that a new chief will be appointed within the limited 10-day timeframe.
In 2024, the UP government introduced the “Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh (Chief of Police Force) Selection and Appointment Rules” to standardize the DGP appointment process. However, the required selection committee is yet to be constituted, further contributing to the delay. As a result, Prashant Kumar is expected to continue as acting DGP for the fifth consecutive time.
Possibility of Service Extension
There is growing speculation that Prashant Kumar might receive an extension. This wouldn’t be unprecedented—Sulkhan Singh, the first DGP appointed under the BJP government after its 2017 victory, was also granted an extension. Alongside Kumar, IPS officers PV Ramasastri (DG Jail) and Dr. Sanjay M. Tarde (DG Telecom), all from the 1990 batch, are also set to retire by May 31.
Potential Contenders
If Prashant Kumar does not get an extension, other names being considered for the acting DGP role include:
BK Maurya and MK Bashal (both DG Home Guard, 1990 batch)
Sandeep Sanluke, Daljit Singh Chaudhary, and Renuka Mishra, who outrank Kumar in seniority
Tilottama Verma (1990 batch), whose tenure extends until November
Officers from the 1991 batch—notably Rajiv Krishna (DG, SPG) and Alok Sharma (DG, Vigilance)—are also being discussed as strong candidates for the top post.
A String of Appointments Since 2017
Since 2017, Uttar Pradesh has seen eight DGP appointments under the current government. Sulkhan Singh, OP Singh, Hitesh Chandra Awasthi, and Mukul Goyal served as full-time DGPs, while Dr. Devendra Singh Chauhan, Dr. RK Vishwakarma, Vijay Kumar, and Prashant Kumar have held the position in an acting capacity.
Continued Uncertainty
With no selection committee in place and no formal steps taken toward appointing a new DGP, Uttar Pradesh is likely to continue with an acting police chief, prolonging administrative ambiguity at the top of the state police hierarchy.
