The race for West Bengal’s top cop position intensifies as the Mamata Banerjee administration dispatches eight senior IPS names to New Delhi. Acting DGP Rajeev Kumar, due for retirement on January 31, headlines the January 21 submission that also includes Ranvir Kumar, Debashish Roy, Anuj Sharma, Jagmohan, N. Ramesh Babu, and Siddhinath Gupta.
Under UPSC guidelines, the state panel triggers a vetting process culminating in three recommendations. Kumar’s inclusion honors his interim role after Manoj Malaviya’s retirement, but insiders caution against presuming favoritism.
Spotlight falls on contenders like Piyush Pandey, the ex-SPG chief turned CM security head, and others such as Rajesh Kumar and Ranvir Kumar. Their profiles blend experience in high-stakes operations and policy execution.
A prior list from December 27 faltered on technicalities, ignoring the September 2023 deadline. Rajesh Kumar’s tribunal challenge compelled compliance: resubmit by January 23, UPSC panel by January 28, finalists by January 29.
This episode reveals procedural chinks in bureaucratic machinery, amplified by judicial oversight. For a state grappling with enforcement demands—from elections to public order—the DGP pick carries immense stakes. Will it be continuity with Kumar, or fresh blood like Pandey? The coming days promise clarity, potentially steering West Bengal Police into a new era of leadership.