The State government has begun the exercise for selecting the next Director-General of Police (DGP) and Head of Police Force (HOPF), as DGP M. Malakondaiah will attain superannuation by June this year.
A 1983 batch IPS officer, S.V. Ramana Murthy, Vinay Ranjan Ray of 1986 batch, who is DG (Prisons); R.P. Thakur (1986), who is DG Anti-Corruption Bureau; and D. Gautam Sawang (1986), Vijayawada City Police Commissioner, are in the race.
V.S. Kaumudi, who is of 1986 batch is on deputation to the Centre. However, Mr. Ramana Murthy will retire in September this year and Mr. Vinay Ranjan will attain superannuation in September next year.
Interestingly, 1987 batch IPS officers N.V. Surendra Babu, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of APSRTC and Vigilance and Enforcement, and Principal Secretary (Home) A.R. Anuradha, who were promoted to the DG rank on Thursday, are likely to be in the DGP race, police sources said.
Another 1987 batch officer, Tushar Tripati, who is the Commissioner of Printing and Stationery, was not promoted, though having good track record.
Some IPS officers argue that there was no transparency in promoting the top rank officers. How can the government neglect some officers and elevate only a few, when they were of one batch, some officers questioned.
Under Section 3 of the AP State Police (Reforms) (Amendment) Ordinance 2017, the State government can select the DGP candidate of its choice.
With the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) raising objection to the panel of IPS officers sent by the State for appointment of the DGP for not following the Supreme Court judgment last year, the government has amended the AP Police Act, 2014, which was approved by the Governor and the AP Cabinet.
