The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a six-month extension for West Bengal director general of police (DGP) Siddh Nath Gupta beyond his retirement on April 30, according to an official order issued on Monday.
Gupta, a 1992-batch IPS officer, was appointed West Bengal police chief by the Election Commission of India on March 16 ahead of the assembly elections, replacing IPS officer Peeyush Pandey for the poll period.
Pandey, junior to Gupta by one batch, was appointed police chief by the Trinamool Congress government on January 31 this year. He is scheduled to retire in December 2028.
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of Ministry of Home Affairs for grant of extension in Service of Shri Siddh Nath Gupta, IPS (WB:1992), DG & IGP, West Bengal for a period of 6 months beyond 30.04.2026 in relaxation of Rule 16(1) of AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958 in public interest,” the order stated.
According to the order, the ministry of home affairs sent the proposal for Gupta’s extension on April 20.
The ACC comprises the Prime Minister as chairperson and the Union home minister as a member.
On March 16, Gupta was among four senior IPS officers appointed by the Election Commission in place of officers earlier posted by the state government to key positions.
Along with the state police chief, the Election Commission also replaced the Kolkata police commissioner, the chief of correctional services and the additional director general in charge of law and order.
After the assembly elections were announced on March 15, the Election Commission transferred 483 administrative and police officials in West Bengal, compared with 23 officers shifted across Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the other states that went to polls in April.
The ACC has granted similar extensions to several senior officers in the past in public interest.
Those who received extensions earlier include former Gujarat police chief Vikas Sahay, former Delhi police commissioner Rakesh Asthana, former Delhi police commissioner Amulya Patnaik, former Enforcement Directorate director Sanjay Mishra, former home secretary Ajay Bhalla and current CBI director Praveen Sood.
www.hindustantimes.com
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