The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday (26.05.2025) appointed senior IPS officer Harish Kumar Gupta (IPS:1992:AP) as the full-time Director General of Police (DGP) for a tenure of two years.
Gupta had been holding the post as full additional charge since February 1, 2025, following the retirement of former DGP D Tirumala Rao (IPS:1989:AP) on January 31. In addition to acting as DGP, he was also serving as Director General, Vigilance & Enforcement, and Ex-Officio Principal Secretary, General Administration (V&E) Department.
The state government had earlier sent a panel of eligible names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Empanelment Committee Meeting, held on April 30, 2025, at the UPSC office in New Delhi, finalized its recommendations and communicated a panel of names for appointment as DGP (Head of Police Force).
As www.legendofficers.com reported on December 27, 2024, Harish Kumar Gupta had emerged as one of the frontrunners for the post, closely followed by Madireddy Pratap (IPS:1991:AP).
The Supreme Court Collegium on Monday (26.05.2025) recommended the elevation of three High Court judges—two Chief Justices and one senior judge—to the Supreme Court.
The names recommended for elevation are:
Justice N V Anjaria, Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court
Justice Vijay Bishnoi, Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court
Justice A S Chandurkar, Judge, Bombay High Court
The five-member Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, met to deliberate on filling current vacancies on the Supreme Court bench.
These vacancies emerged following the retirement of former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice A S Oka. An additional vacancy will arise with the upcoming retirement of Justice Bela M Trivedi on June 9—although her last working day was May 15.
With a sanctioned strength of 34, the Supreme Court is currently functioning with only 32 judges.
In a major reshuffle, the Jharkhand government on Monday (26.05.2025) transferred and posted 20 IAS officers, all of whom have been appointed as District Magistrates and Deputy Commissioners. As a result, 20 districts will have new administrative heads.
Distinguished scientistDr. Samir V Kamat’s tenure as Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D), and Chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has been extended for another year. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (26.05.2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the extension under FR 56(d) from June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
This is Dr. Kamat’s second consecutive extension. His first extension was granted on May 27, 2024, just days before his scheduled retirement on May 31, 2024. At the time, it was reported that a screening committee had recommended three potential successors, but the government opted to retain Dr. Kamat.
He was appointed as Secretary, DDR&D and Chairman, DRDO in August 2022, succeeding G. Satheesh Reddy, and was initially set to serve until the age of 60 i.e. May 31, 2024.
Vineet Satyanarayanan Nair (IDES:2011), who was recommended for central deputation by the Ministry of Defence, has been selected for appointment as Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Delhi, for five years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel Affairs (DoPT) on Monday (26.05.2025), Mr. Nair will serve in the post under the central staffing scheme for a period of five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Madhur Agrawal (IRAS:2009), who was recommended for central deputation by the Ministry of Railways, has been selected for appointment as Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Delhi, for five years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel Affairs (DoPT) on Monday (26.05.2025), Mr. Agrawal will serve in the post under the central staffing scheme for a period of five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The Saturday (May 24) press conference held by Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi (IPS:2012:HP) has landed him in serious trouble, with Director General of Police (DGP) Atul Verma(IPS:1991:HP) on Sunday (May 25) recommending his immediate suspension for “gross misconduct, insubordination, and dereliction of duty.”
In a strongly worded letter to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), the DGP said the SP made “unsubstantiated and inappropriate allegations” during the press conference against the Chief Secretary to the Government of Himachal Pradesh as well as a Constitutional Authority in the state.
“He also made unverified and potentially prejudicial statements regarding the National Security Guards and the Government of India, in connection with a matter that is currently under active investigation,” Verma wrote.
The DGP further noted that such actions could strain or embarrass the relationship between the Central and State Governments. A video recording of the press conference has been enclosed in a pen drive for review and official record.
The controversy stems from remarks made by SP Gandhi during his press briefing on Saturday, where he alleged that the status report filed by the DGP in the Himachal Pradesh High Court—regarding the SIT investigation into the death of Vimal Negi—was “irresponsible” and driven by “personal vendetta.”
Gandhi went further, accusing the DGP’s staff of having links to a drug peddling syndicate and interfering in the probe into the leak of confidential CID documents. He also leveled serious allegations against former DGP Sanjay Kundu, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, former Shimla DC, and current Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma.
In a setback to the Haryana government, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has returned a proposal to promote 27 Haryana Civil Services (HCS) officers to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), citing pending criminal charges against eight officers from the 2002 batch.
The proposal, sent in March, covered officers from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 batches. The UPSC has asked the state to submit a revised list excluding those charge-sheeted so that promotions under the 2020–2024 select list can proceed.
Haryana had argued that a charge sheet isn’t a final report under Section 173 of the CrPC and shouldn’t bar promotions. But in a reply dated May 22, the UPSC rejected this reasoning as legally untenable.
As a result, promotions for all 27 officers—including those from later batches with no charges—remain stalled. The issue comes amid a shortage of IAS officers in Haryana, which currently has 171 officers against a sanctioned strength of 215.
The controversy dates back to 2002, when allegations of irregularities surfaced during HCS recruitment under then CM Om Prakash Chautala. A writ petition was filed the same year, and in 2009, the Congress-led government submitted an affidavit detailing manipulations in answer sheets of at least nine candidates, some of whom now appear in the promotion list.
An FIR was also filed following a complaint from a rejected candidate, leading to a Vigilance Bureau probe and charges in 2023 against eight officers and former HPSC officials. In June that year, the President cleared their prosecution. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has since stayed the trial.
At Legendofficers, we bridge the gap between power and the public with clarity and credibility. Follow us for verified updates on key administrative decisions, bureaucratic reshuffles, and high-level appointments — including the latest developments from the Union Public Service Commission regarding Haryana’s proposal for IAS promotions.
With incumbent DGP Prashant Kumar (IPS:1990:UP) set to retire on May 31, Uttar Pradesh appears poised to get yet another officiating Director General of Police (DGP), as the prospect of a full-time appointment remains uncertain.
According to highly placed sources, the state’s Home Department has neither forwarded a panel of eligible names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) nor constituted the mandatory selection committee as prescribed under new state rules. This leaves the government with only two viable options—either seek an extension for the incumbent or appoint another officer in an acting capacity.
While there is speculation that the state government has informally sought an extension for Prashant Kumar, no official confirmation has been made. As things stand, the appointment of an acting DGP appears to be the most likely outcome.
Several senior IPS officers from the 1991 batch in the Uttar Pradesh cadreare eligible to be given additional charge if the government opts for an interim arrangement. Adding a layer of intrigue is the recent repatriation of Vitul Kumar (IPS:1993:UP), Special DG, CRPF, to the state cadre. While the timing of his return has stirred speculation in bureaucratic circles, there is no official word linking his repatriation to the DGP vacancy.
Interim leadership has become a pattern at the top of the UP Police since May 11, 2022, when the state government removed then DGP Mukul Goel (IPS:1987:UP) and appointed DG (Intelligence) Dr DS Chauhan (IPS:1988:UP) as acting DGP. A subsequent proposal to make Chauhan permanent was returned by the UPSC, which sought clarification on Goel’s removal—a query the state reportedly never addressed.
Since then, the DGP’s chair has been occupied by a string of officiating appointments: DS Chauhan, followed by RK Vishwakarma (IPS:1988:UP) for two months, then Vijay Kumar (IPS:1988:UP), and now Prashant Kumar, who has held the position since February 1, 2024.
At Legendofficers, we bridge the gap between power and the public with clarity and credibility. Follow us for verified updates on bureaucratic reshuffles, high-level appointments, and ongoing decisions — including the latest developments around the Uttar Pradesh DGP position, where the state is likely to see another acting DGP while the prospect of a full-time appointment remains uncertain.
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