As deadline to appoint new Himachal DGP nears, know the three IPS officers who are leading race

The Newz Radar

SHIMLA: As the search intensifies for the next Director General of Police (DGP) in Himachal Pradesh, seasoned IPS officers Sanjeev Ranjan Ojha, SB Negi and Atul Verma have been leading the race.
Ojha is currently posted the Director General of Jails and is the seniormost IPS officer in the state. His seniority places him at the forefront for the coveted position. Nevertheless, the government could even consider alternative candidates, such as Negi, a 1990 batch IPS officer and former ADGP (Vigilance), who is currently on central deputation. Verma is a 1991 batch IPS officer who recently returned from deputation at the Centre and holds the third spot in seniority.

The decision ultimately rests in the hands of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who is set to return to Shimla from on Friday. Once back, the process of appointing the new DGP will kick off, with the government obligated to submit a compliance report regarding the removal of the incumbent DGP Sanjay Kundu in the Himachal Pradesh High Court by January 4.

The prescribed process for the appointment of a DGP mandates that the state government compile a panel of eligible officers and submit it to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The UPSC then shortlists three names from the panel, from which the government selects the new DGP. However, the urgency is palpable due to the High Court’s order related to the removal of the incumbent DGP as a fallout of the controversy related to allegations of harassment levelled by Palampur businessman Nishant Sharma.