Bengal DGP Appointment: CAT Orders UPSC To Fast-Track Empanelment Decision

The appointment of the next Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal has now become a matter for the court. Senior IPS officer Rajesh Kumar, one of the contenders based on seniority, has approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), alleging unfairness in the consideration of his name for the DGP (Head of Police Force) position.

CAT has directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to expedite its decision on empanelment for the post amid prolonged delay. Presently, Rajesh Kumar, acting DGP Rajeev Kumar, and Ranvir Kumar are the three senior-most IPS officers in the state cadre. Rajeev Kumar has been serving as acting DGP since 2023.

The vacancy for DGP (HoPF) arose on December 27, 2023. The West Bengal government forwarded

a proposal to UPSC on July 16, 2025, containing the names of ten eligible IPS officers, including Rajesh Kumar. A meeting of the UPSC empanelment committee was held in October 2025, but differences of opinion emerged over which names should be considered. Subsequently, Rajesh Kumar moved the Tribunal.

In his petition, Rajesh Kumar stated that he is due to retire on January 31, 2026, and that further delay in finalising the panel would irreversibly prejudice his right to be considered. Acting DGP Rajeev Kumar and another senior-most IPS officer are also due to retire in January.

The Tribunal examined UPSC guidelines dated September 26, 2023, which provide for a committee-led empanelment process, limit the panel to a maximum of three officers, and require the timely submission of proposals by the state government. UPSC informed the Tribunal that the empanelment committee met on October 30, 2025, but sought the legal opinion of the Attorney General of India due to differences within the committee.

CAT held that an eligible officer’s right to be considered cannot be defeated by administrative delay, particularly when superannuation is imminent, relying on the Supreme Court judgment in Major General HM Singh (VSM) v Union of India (2014) 3 SCC 670. The Tribunal directed UPSC to obtain the Attorney General’s opinion expeditiously and take an appropriate decision without further delay. The next hearing is scheduled for January 6, 2026.

If UPSC submits the panel in compliance with the order, it may include the names of the senior-most officers—Rajesh Kumar, Rajeev Kumar, and Ranvir Kumar—though it is also possible that additional names may be included. Ultimately, the state government will have to choose one name from the panel.

If the panel is based strictly on seniority, Rajeev Kumar may continue, given his position as acting DGP. However, bureaucratic circles indicate that the UPSC may also consider other options. The entire administrative establishment in West Bengal is closely watching the UPSC’s decision, which is expected to clarify who will be the next police chief of the state.