Amidst speculation over who will succeed BS Sidhu as the DGP of the State, the cops are divided in their opinions. Two names are doing the rounds and they are SK Bhagat and MA Ganapathy. Notably, Ganapathy has been recently relieved from the Union Ministry of home affairs where he was on deputation while Bhagat is still on deputation in the Central Government.
Ganapathy is set to join Uttarakhand police as additional DGP on Monday. However, as things stand now, he is likely to be made either DG or DGP following the nod from departmental promotion committee (DPC) that comprises chief secretary, DGP and some other senior administrative officers.
In terms of seniority too-something that counts during the President’s Rule Bhagat is ahead. While Ganapathy is 1986 batch IPS Bhagat is senior to him by four years as his IPS cadre began in 1982. The eighth DGP of the State Sidhu is all set to retire on April 30.
Observers say that the possibility of Sidhu being given extension is remote in view of the President’s Rule remaining enforced in the State.
Had there been Harish Rawat at the helm of the State Government the possibility of Sidhu being given the extension would have been bright. “Rawat is known to have a weakness for Sidhu too. But with the regime change having happened, it is possible that his successor would be decided according to seniority. Giving extension is out of tune with the texture of the President’s Rule,” said a senior cop who works from the police headquarters.
Ashok Kant Sharan was the first DGP of the State whose term was from November 9, 2000 to April 30, 2002 while Prem Dutt Raturi, the second DGP, served from April 30, 2002 to June 15, 2004. IPS Kanchan Choudhary Bhattacharya who was the first woman DGP of the country and the third in Uttarakhand, served from June 15, 2004 to October 31, 2007.
Subhash Joshi was the fourth DGP who served from October 31, 2007 to July 15, 2010. Jyoti Swaroop Pandey was the fifth DGP, serving the State from July 28, 2010 to April 13, 2012. Vijay Raghav Pant replaced him on April 31, 2012 and continued till September 30,2012. Satyavrat followed whose term was from September 30, 2012 to September 30, 2013.