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States must appoint regular DGPs, either through own Act or by following our guidelines: Supreme Court

By
LO Bureau
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SC on NCLT

The issue of appointing a regular DGP in a state continues to bother the Supreme Court, with several states still preferring to have acting DGPs to appointing a regular one despite having enacted a separate Act for it. That is the reason why the apex court on Thursday (March 12) again addressed this issue, saying states that have enacted a separate Act for the appointment of a DGP will have to follow the law, and the states that do not have such Acts must follow the guidelines laid down by it in the Prakash Singh case of 2006.

It was clarified by the Supreme Court on Thursday after it was informed that Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have enacted a separate law for the appointment of the state police chief.

The message is clear. The Supreme Court wants the state governments to renounce the growing practice of having an acting DGP in this country; the sooner, the better.

The top court on Feb 5 had slammed the states for having acting DGPs and authorized the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to initiate contempt proceedings against the states that dilly-dally in sending proposals for empanelment to UPSC.

The apex court ruling came after it was told by the UPSC that several states keep on delaying sending the proposal for the appointment of DGP in total disregard of the apex court’s directions, and an ad-hoc arrangement by appointing the acting DGP was being preferred instead of a regular appointment.

It was the Supreme Court’s Feb 5 ruling that had set the stage for initiating the contempt proceedings against states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Telangana.

But a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi decided to close the contempt proceedings on Thursday against them after it was informed that they have sent a proposal to the UPSC for shortlisting names eligible to be appointed as state DGPs.

The apex court had granted four weeks to the UPSC to complete the process of empanelment and make a recommendation for the appointment of a DGP for Telangana, where the last regular DGP retired in 2017.

The top court had laid down elaborate guidelines in the famous Prakash Singh case in 2006, mandating the selection of DGPs from among three senior-most IPS officers empanelled by the UPSC and had set a fixed two-year tenure for them.

The SC counsel appearing for Jharkhand said the state has enacted a law for DGP appointment, which says that the selection of the IPS officer would be done by a committee headed by a retired high court judge.

Similarly, the top court was informed by the West Bengal government that it had submitted a proposal to the UPSC for suggesting names for the appointment of the police chief.

The top court also sought a response from the Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments on the appointment of DGPs in two weeks.

Senior SC advocate Raju Ramachandran, who has been appointed as amicus curiae in the case, said the states will have to send the names of eligible IPS officers to the UPSC, which in turn will finalise the panel of three names for appointment as DGP by each state.

Interestingly, a separate plea had been filed seeking to appoint the DGP by the panel of the Chief Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, and the Chief Justice of the High Court on the pattern of selecting heads of the central agencies, but it was not supported by Ramchandran.

Ramachandran opined that the posts of DGP, Chief Secretary, and Home Secretary should be selected by the state government and not by a panel. He said it is important for the governance of the state that the government of the day must have confidence in these top officers.


Odisha transfers 13 IAS officers; Prathamesh Rajeshirke appointed Malkangiri Collector

By
LO Bureau
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The Odisha government on Thursday (March 12, 2026) issued transfer and posting orders of 13 IAS officers. The list includes the appointment of Prathamesh Arvind Rajeshirke as new the Collector & District Magistrate of Malkangiri. Incumbent Somesh Kumar Upadhyay was shifted to Textiles & Handlooms Department as Director.

The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;

  1. Manish Agarwal (IAS:2012:OR), Additional Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha with additional charge of Additional Secretary, Planning & Convergence Department has been appointed as Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Odisha.
  2. Smruti Ranjan Pradhan (IAS-NSCS:2012), Additional Secretary, Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department has been appointed as Managing Director, Odisha Small Industries Corporation. He will continue to hold additional charge of CEO, Startup Odisha.
  3. Siddhartha Das (IAS-NSCS:2012), Registrar, Cooperative Societies, has been transferred as Director, Fisheries, Cuttack.
  4. Madhusmita Sahoo (IAS:2013:OR), Additional Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management Department with additional charge of Director, Revenue Officers’ Training Institute (ROTI) has been transferred and posted as Director, Teachers’ Education & SCERT. She will continue as Additional Secretary, School & Mass Education Department.
  5. Unama Kalo (IAS-SCS:2014), Additional Commissioner, Settlement & Consolidation in the office of RDC, Sambalpur has been allowed to continue additional charge of Secretary to RDC (ND), Sambalpur.
  6. Lily Kumari Kullu (IAS-SCS:2014), Additional Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management Department has been appointed as Additional Secretary, Public Enterprises Department.
  7. Somesh Kumar Upadhyay (IAS:2017:OR), Collector & District Magistrate, Malkangiri has been appointed as Director, Textiles & Handlooms.
  8. Prathamesh Arvind Rajeshirke (IAS:2021:OR), Commissioner, Berhampur Municipal Corporation with additional charge of Vice-Chairman, Berhampur Development Authority has been appointed as Collector & District Magistrate, Malkangiri.
  9. Akavaram Sasya Reddy (IAS:2022:OR), Sub-Collector, Jeypore, has been transferred and appointed as Commissioner, Berhampur Municipal Corporation. She will continue to hold additional charge of Vice-Chairman, Berhampur Development Authority.
  10. Akshay Pillay (IAS:2022:OR), Sub-Collector, Bonei, has been transferred and appointed as Additional District Magistrate, Paradeep (Jagatsinghpur district).
  11. Arugula Sneha (IAS:2022:OR), Sub-Collector, Padampur has been transferred and posted as as CDO-cum-EO, Zilla Parishad, Mayurbhanj.
  12. Samir Kumar Jena (IAS:2022:OR), Sub-Collector, Talcher has been transferred as CDO-cum-EO, Zilla Parishad, Ganjam.
  13. Soumyaranjan Pradhan (IAS:2022:OR), Sub-Collector, Rairangpur has been appointed as CDO-cum-EO, Zilla Parishad, Kalahandi.

Two-Day NCC ADGs, DDGs Conference Begins in New Delhi

By
LO Bureau
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The two-day conference of Additional Directors General (ADGs) and Deputy Directors General (DDGs) of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) commenced at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on March 12, 2026. Rajesh Kumar Singh addressed the conference on the opening day.

In his address, the Defence Secretary emphasised the importance of transforming the National Cadet Corps in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He also appreciated the NCC’s significant contribution to various social outreach programmes conducted across the country.

During his interaction with the ADGs and DDGs of all NCC Directorates, Singh called for synergised efforts aligned with the policies and initiatives of the Central Government. Such efforts, he noted, would contribute to the more effective realisation of the goals and objectives of the National Cadet Corps.

Virendra Vats, Director General of the NCC, highlighted initiatives undertaken over the past year to expand the organisation and strengthen infrastructure and logistical support. Key issues related to quality of training, infrastructure development and emerging domains such as drone and cyber training were also discussed during the conference.

The conference serves as an important platform for senior NCC leadership to deliberate on key policy matters, share best practices and chart a roadmap for further strengthening the organisation and its training framework in the years ahead.

IRS officer Ananjay Kumar Tiwary prematurely repatriated to parent cadre

By
LO Bureau
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IRS officer Ananjay Kumar Tiwary (IRS-IT:2012), currently serving as Director in the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, has been prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (March 12, 2026), the competent authority has approved the proposal for premature repatriation of Tiwary to his parent cadre on personal grounds, with the provision of extended cooling-off.

Notably, Tiwary has been serving in the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation since January 2023. He was initially appointed as Deputy Secretary for a period of four years.

Later, he was re-designated as Director in the department. His central deputation tenure was scheduled to end in January next year. However, he is now being repatriated to his parent cadre on personal grounds.

PESB recommends Anupam Mishra as CMD of Hindustan Copper Limited

By
LO Bureau
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Hindustan Copper CMD selection PESB recommendation

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has recommended Anupam Mishra for appointment as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Hindustan Copper Limited. The recommendation was made after interviews conducted by the board on March 12, 2026.

Mishra is currently serving as Director (Marketing) at The Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT). His name will now be forwarded to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for final approval, subject to vigilance clearance and completion of other prescribed formalities.

If approved, Mishra will succeed Sanjiv Kumar Singh, who is scheduled to retire on June 30, 2026. Singh has been serving as CMD of Hindustan Copper Limited since March 2025.

The following 5 applicants were interviewed in the selection meeting :

  1. Nagesh Shenoy, Executive Director, Hindustan Copper Limited
  2. Umesh Singh, Executive Director (Mining ) Corporate Centre, Hindustan Copper Limited
  3. Binod Kumar Gupta, Executive Director, (Mining)/HCL Corporate Office, Kolkata, Hindustan Copper Limited
  4. Rakesh Tumane, Director (Finance), NAGPUR, Moil Limited
  5. Anupam Misra, Director (Marketing), The Fertilisers And Chemicals Travancore Limited (Fact)

UP DGP links disposal of public complaints to postings at police stations

By
LO Bureau
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UP DGP Rajeev Krishna IPS

The Uttar Pradesh DGP, Rajeev Krishna (IPS:1991:UP), held a comprehensive review meeting with senior IPS officers in the state, virtually attended by zonal ADGs, Range IGs/DIGs, Police Commissioners, and SSPs/SPs at the police headquarters.

According to an official statement, detailed reviews were conducted regarding disposal of complaints lodged online, quality and timely completion of investigations, the Zero Fatality District (ZFD) campaign, effective use of the Yaksha App, and other important law-and-order-related issues.

For review purposes, each district/commissionerate and commissionerate zone was considered a separate unit, resulting in 88 units being reviewed.

The DGP is said to have given necessary directions to the officers.

Soon after taking charge of the DGP, Krishna had set a target for all districts to reduce public complaints by 40 percent during review meetings held from June last year, and his efforts have shown positive signs as the latest review found a significant reduction in public grievances.

The DGP emphasized the need for policing before registration of FIR as an extremely important factor. He said the effective disposal of public complaints should be considered a criterion for postings at police stations and outposts.

Besides, a special campaign is underway across the state to ensure quality and timely disposal of investigations.

The state currently holds the third rank in the Centralised Ranking and NCL Dashboard of the Government of India, and a target has been set to achieve the 1st position.

DGP Krishna directed the officers that, as per the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), general investigations should be completed within 60 days, and investigations of serious crimes within 90 days.

Senior officers were directed to conduct regular orderly room inspections and supervision to review investigations and ensure timely and quality disposal.

UP IAS Abhishek Prakash to be reinstated on March 14

By
LO Bureau
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UP IAS Abhishek Prakash reinstated

The Uttar Pradesh government is learnt to have decided to reinstate senior IAS officer and former CEO of Invest UP, Abhishek Prakash (IAS:2006:UP), after nearly a year of suspension.

As per media reports quoting government sources, Prakash’s reinstatement will be effective from March 14th. However, the Appointments Department of the state govt has not made any official announcement regarding this matter so far.

According to govt sources, a report regarding his reinstatement is to be sent to the Union Ministry of Personnel before the completion of one year of the suspension. Therefore, his reinstatement will be considered effective from March 14.

The officer was suspended on March 20, 2025, on serious charges of corruption. He was accused of demanding a bribe from a solar company in exchange for project approvals, after which the state government suspended him. However, in February 2026, the Lucknow bench of the High Court quashed the charge sheet in this case due to lack of evidence. 

Bhupinder Kumar appointed Government Nominee Director on Oil India Board

By
LO Bureau
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IAS Bhupinder Kumar
IAS Bhupinder Kumar

IAS officer Bhupinder Kumar (IAS:2011:AGMUT) has been appointed as Government Nominee Director on the Board of Oil India Limited (OIL). Kumar is currently serving as Director in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) since November 2025.

The appointment was approved by the company’s Board of Directors and will be effective from March 10, 2026.

OIL disclosed the decision to the National Stock Exchange of India and BSE Limited under Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.

Kumar will serve as Government Nominee Director on the board of Oil India Limited for a period of three years from the date of notification, or until further orders, whichever occurs earlier.

CBI DIG Lovely Katiyar prematurely repatriated to parent cadre Rajasthan

By
LO Bureau
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Lovely Katiyar IPS Rajasthan cadre

Senior IPS officer Lovely Katiyar (IPS:2008:RJ), currently serving as DIG in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has been prematurely repatriated to her parent cadre Rajasthan.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on March 6, 2026, the competent authority has approved her premature repatriation to the parent cadre.

Katiyar has been serving in the CBI since July 14, 2021, when she assumed charge as Superintendent of Police (SP). Her tenure in the agency was initially fixed for four years.

However, in June 2022, when she was appointed as DIG in the CBI, her tenure was extended to five years, up to July 14, 2026.

With the latest order, she will now return to her parent cadre Rajasthan after serving nearly five years in the central agency.

Why does Home Ministry want more time for cadre review of CAPFs personnel?

By
LO Bureau
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Ministry of Home Affairs

The issue of deputation of IPS officers to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and that of the cadre review of the CAPFs’ personnel is refusing to die down. A fresh complication arose when the Home Ministry on Tuesday requested the Supreme Court to give it up to 20 months to carry out a comprehensive cadre review of the CAPFs’ personnel.

It needs to be mentioned here that just a few days ago the Union Cabinet cleared a Draft Bill to retain the provision of deputing IPS officers to the CAPFs up to the ranks of Inspector General (IG) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG), and the Bill is likely to be tabled in the Parliament soon.

The apex court, in its judgment in May 2025, had directed the ministry to carry out the cadre review of the CAPFs personnel for which the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought additional time, citing the “nature and complexity” of the process.

The ministry had also submitted that it is examining the requirement of a “statutory and regulatory intervention” in the wake of the judgment delivered on May 23 last year.

In that landmark judgment, an apex court bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Abhay S. Oka had ordered the progressive reduction in deputation of IPS officers in the CAPFs as well as the carrying out of the cadre review within six months.

The last cadre review had been conducted in 2016 and was initially due in 2021.

The Centre then filed a review petition against the ruling, which was dismissed by the Supreme Court in October 2025, prompting the MHA to order a cadre review of Group A officers from all CAPFs.

The Home Ministry asked the top court for more time due to complexities involved in cadre review, which it said is a “long drawn exercise” involving multiple stakeholders like the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the Department of Expenditure in the Ministry of Finance, and a final nod from the Union Cabinet. Thus, the ministry requested the top court to allow it one more year to “complete the requisite procedural and statutory formalities in a comprehensive manner.”

The ministry also reminded the apex court that it is actively considering the requirement of appropriate statutory and regulatory intervention in accordance with law.

The ministry also informed the top court that it had already initiated the cadre review process for all CAPFs through a government order and requested that the court modify its 23 May 2025 judgement to allow officials more time to implement the policy.

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