Putting all speculation to rest, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday appointed IPS officer Prashant Kumar as the new acting director general of police (law and order).
Prashant Kumar will replace Vijay Kumar, who retired on Wednesday. This is for the fourth consecutive time that the state government has appointed an acting DGP instead of a regular DGP.
“I am extremely grateful for the trust and blessings of the illustrious chief minister of the state, Shri @myogiadityanath ji for this glorious responsibility. #UPPolice The elimination of mafias and criminals will continue while strengthening the foundation of trust and security by working with families and citizens of the state,” Prashant Kumar said in a post on X, soon after his appointment.
An IPS officer from the 1990 batch, Kumar was born in Bihar’s Siwan. He completed his MBA, MSc and MPhil degrees before qualifying for the Indian Police Service and received the Tamil Nadu cadre on being commissioned.
Kumar has received the police medal thrice and, in 2020 and 2021, was given the gallantry award. The president has also awarded him the police medal for valour.
The UP government selected him as the ADG to crack down on crime in the western part of the state. Kumar is presently serving as the special DG of law and order.
State government officials said the order, undersigned by principal home secretary Sanjay Prasad, said Prashant Kumar will also hold the additional charge of acting DGP till a permanent appointment is made. Along with the acting state police chief, he will also hold the post of DG economic offences wing.
Kumar’s appointment comes as a rude shock to other officers, who were considered frontrunners for the top post that included four DG-rank 1989-batch officers and nine DG-rank officers of his own batch.
Before Prashant Kumar’s appointment, Vijay Kumar was also given the charge of acting DGP. He also took over from the then acting DGP Dr Raj Kumar Vishwakarma, who also held the post of the chairman of the UP police recruitment and promotion board. He, too, had taken charge from then acting DGP Devendra Singh Chauhan, who served for almost 11 months before his retirement.
The Yogi Adityanath-led government had appointed Chauhan after removing Goel, following charges of “inaction” and “lack of interest towards work”.
Goel was the last regular DGP in the state and is presently posted as DG civil defence; his retirement is due in February 2024.
SELECTION CRITERIA FOR DGP
Senior officials said as per the norms, the DGP is selected by the state government from among three senior-most officers, who have been empanelled for promotion to that rank by the UPSC on the basis of their length of service, record and range of experience.
The selected officer should have a minimum tenure of at least two years irrespective of the date of superannuation. The DGP may, however, be relieved of responsibilities by the state government in consultation with the State Security Commission, consequent upon any action taken against the DGP under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules or following conviction in a court of law in a criminal offence or in a case of corruption, or if the officer is otherwise incapacitated from discharging the duties.
CONTROVERSY OVER DGP’S APPOINTMENT
In 2022, a Delhi-based lawyer named Brajesh Singh challenged the system of appointing acting DGPs, calling it a violation of the Supreme Court’s order. In his contempt petition, Singh challenged the appointment of acting DGPs in two states – UP and Punjab – alleging that the back-to-back appointment of acting DGPs in UP is in complete violation of the top court’s orders.
“In 2006, the Supreme Court had said, in one of its judgments, that there was no such “concept” of an “acting DGP”. Moreover, the apex court had stated that DGPs should have a minimum tenure of two years in office as it is necessary to protect the DGP office from political influences,” the petition stated.
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