Hyderabad: Days after receiving a directive from the UPSC to initiate the selection process for a permanent DGP, Telangana govt on Monday submitted a list of eligible DGP-rank officers.However, there is no clarity on whether the list includes the name of the incumbent in-charge DGP B Shivadhar Reddy. The other names of probables on the list are C V Anand, Prabhakar Apte, Sowmya Mishra, Shikha Goel, and Abhilasha Bisht. These developments come weeks after the Supreme Court, on Feb 5, gave the UPSC a four-week mandate to select the DGP in accordance with the guidelines laid down in the Prakash Singh vs. Union of India case. The SC found fault with nine states, including Telangana, for failing to follow these guidelines and instead appointing DG-rank officers of their choice as in-charge DGPs.Sources told TOI that two versions of the list are in discussion within the police department. While one version claims the list included Shivadhar Reddy’s name — along with the five others — the other states that the list was sent without Reddy’s name since he has less than six months of service left and is slated to retire by the end of April.“The list with the in-charge DGP’s name carries a remark stating that he has a little over two months of service left, leaving it to the UPSC to decide,” said a source.“The office of the chief secretary reportedly sent two proposals to chief minister A Revanth Reddy before finalising one of the lists. A confidential list was then sent to the UPSC from the CM’s office,” said another source.The commission is expected to shortlist three names, following which the state govt will select Head of Police Force (HoPF) of its choice. The selected officer will have a fixed tenure of two years in the role.
