Amid days of speculation, the Uttar Pradesh government has appointed senior IPS officer Rajeev Krishna (1991 batch) as the acting Director General of Police (DGP). With this, he becomes the fifth consecutive officer to hold the state’s top police post in an acting capacity, reflecting a continued trend of interim appointments due to the lack of UPSC empanelment for a permanent posting.
The appointment confirms that Prashant Kumar, a 1990-batch IPS officer and the outgoing DGP, has not been granted an extension, ending widespread speculation regarding his tenure.
A Trusted Aide of CM Yogi Adityanath
Currently serving as Director of Vigilance and Chairman of the UP Police Recruitment Board, Rajeev Krishna is widely regarded as one of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s most trusted officers. He was entrusted with overseeing the UP Police Recruitment Examination in the wake of recent paper leak scandals, a task he is credited with managing in a transparent and efficient manner.
Permanent Appointment Unlikely Before 2026
Despite taking charge as acting DGP, Krishna cannot be appointed permanently under current UPSC guidelines, as he ranks 12th in the seniority list of DG-rank IPS officers in the state. A permanent appointment may become feasible only around March 2026, when several senior officers are expected to retire, potentially making him eligible for full-time consideration.
This latest development underscores the ongoing challenge in finalizing a permanent police chief in India’s most populous state, even as critical policing and law enforcement reforms remain on the agenda.
