West Bengal DGP Appointment: CAT Sets Timeline, Decision Likely by January-End.
The long-pending question of who will be West Bengal’s next Director General of Police (DGP) is expected to be resolved by the last week of January, following directions from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
The issue arose after senior IPS officer Rajesh Kumar filed a petition alleging he was denied a fair opportunity for empanelment by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Acting on the petition, the CAT has directed:
West Bengal government to submit a panel of eligible officers to the UPSC by January 23.
UPSC to convene its meeting by January 28 and forward recommendations by January 29.
If the chosen officer is retiring on January 31, the appointment decision must be taken on or before January 31.
Acting DGP Rajeev Kumar, along with Ranvir Kumar and Rajesh Kumar, is set to retire on January 31. Sources indicate that the panel sent by the state government on January 21 likely includes these senior-most officers.
The appointment controversy stems from delays in submitting proposals to the UPSC. The DGP vacancy arose on December 28, 2023, but the state forwarded its proposal only in July 2025. Earlier, the UPSC returned the proposal, citing delays and non-compliance with Supreme Court guidelines in Prakash Singh vs Union of India, which mandate timely, merit-based empanelment.
With the CAT now directing a fast-tracked process, the state government is expected to finalize the next DGP in time for the January 31 retirement of the acting DGP, ending months of legal and administrative uncertainty.
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