The government is learnt to have informed the Election Commission (EC) that it is looking for a replacement of Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, who retires on January 31.
Sources aware of the development said the government had informed the poll panel about this before the Model Code of Conduct came into force in Delhi on January 6.
The government decided to inform the EC of its decision as it was aware that the Delhi Assembly polls could be announced soon and the model code would come into place.
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The polls, to be held on February 8, were announced on January 6.
After the letter, there has been no communication from the government in this regard.
The Delhi Police comes under the central government.
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Scores of Delhi Police personnel, in an unprecedented move, took to the streets in 2019 demanding dignity and protection after some of them were allegedly beaten up by lawyers.
This had presented the city police and its top brass in a poor light.
The Delhi Police’s handling of the protests at the Jamia Millia Islamia university against the amended citizenship law also came under criticism, when cops entered the library and hostel rooms and allegedly beat up students, leaving many of them injured.
The force was also slammed for its alleged inaction during Sunday’s attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students by a masked mob armed with sticks and rods.