With present Director General of Police OP Singh set to retire by January-end, a search for a suitable candidate to succeed him has been started by the government.
It is now to be seen whether the government opts for an officer top on seniority list or selects an officer of their choice, ignoring seniority.
OP Singh, an IPS officer of 1983 batch, is set to complete his two-year tenure on January 23, days before his retirement on January 31 and is likely to be appointed as the new Chief Information Commissioner in February.
IPS officers from 1984 to 1988 batches are in the race for the top post of UP Police.
Director General of Bureau of Police Research and Development, AP Maheshwari, a 1984 batch IPS officer who will retire in February 2021, and his batchmate S Javeed Ahmed who retires in March 2020, are the two most senior officers but their chances to be posted to the DGP post are dim.
Maheshwari is on Central deputation while Ahmed has already been DGP during the Samajwadi Party regime.
DG Vigilance and 1985 batch officer Dr Hitesh Chandra Awasthi will retire in June 2021 while his batchmate and DG, RPF, Arun Kumar are the next contenders. Both have served in the CBI for a long period.
Officers of 1986 batch, Jawaharlal Tripathi and Mahendra Modi would also retire this year while their batchmate Javed Akhtar and Naseer Kamal are on Central deputation and hence out of the race for the top UPP post.
Sujanveer Singh, also of 1986 batch, is presently posted as DG Training and is due to retire in September 2021 but he is not in the race.
The two other contenders of the top post are 1988 batch IPS officers Anand Kumar, posted as DG (Jails) and also holding additional charge of DG (Home Guards) and DG, Police Recruitment and Promotional Board, RK Vishwakarma.
Both these officers have been ADG (Law and Order) for considerable time but Kumar has an edge as he is known to be a trusted officer of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Another officer who is also in the race is 1987 batch IPS officer Rajendra Pal Singh, presently posted as DG, Economic Offence Wing, and is holding charge of DG, Special Investigation Team. Singh has a long tenure and will retire in February, 2023.
It may be mentioned that OP Singh along with DG, Intelligence, Bhawesh Kumar Singh and DG, Special Enquiry, Mahendra Modi will retire from service this month while DG, Human Rights, DL Ratnam will retire next month. Similarly, DG, CB CID, Virendra Kumar, and S Javeed Ahmed will retire in March this year.