In a major administrative shift ahead of the bye-elections, the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has decided to take control of appointment of the state's Director General of Police (DGP), bypassing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) panel process.
This move, approved at a Cabinet meeting late on Monday, means the UP government will now select the DGP independently, a decision previously overseen by the Centre.
The Yogi government has established a committee led by a retired High Court judge for the DGP's selection. The committee will comprise the Chief Secretary, a UPSC-nominated member, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission Chairman or their nominee, the Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary (Home), and a retired DGP.
This change also sets a two-year fixed tenure for the DGP's position. Following Punjab, UP becomes the second state in India to implement its own system for appointing the DGP.
The last full-time DGP in UP was Mukul Goyal, who was removed in May 2022, leaving the state with acting DGPs since. Reports suggest that Prashant Kumar is likely to be appointed as a full-time DGP under the new system.
Previously, UP followed the Centre's protocol, which stated that the government would send the names of eligible officers -- those with at least 30 years of service in the police force and six months left in tenure -- to the UPSC, which would then shortlist three candidates for the state's final selection.
Under the new system, only officers serving at the Director General of Police-level in pay matrix level 16 will be eligible for the DGP's role.
If a DGP is found involved in criminal activity, corruption, or failure in duties, the state government retains the authority to remove them before the end of their term.
However, any removal process must comply with the High Court guidelines outlined in relevant legal provisions.
Fall of Congress in Gujarat: Three decades of decline and struggle for relevance
The Congress party was once the dominant political force in Gujarat, shaping the state’s governance since independence. However, over the past 30 years, the party has witnessed a dramatic downfall, losing ground to the BJP’s aggressive electoral strategies, organisational strength, and ideological appeal.
‘Disempowering Muslims’: J&K political parties oppose Waqf (Amendment) Bill
All political parties of J&K, except the BJP, opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, saying that the Bill is intended to disempower Muslims and only target one religion.
Radical group founder wanted in Jaipur serial blast plot apprehended in Ratlam
The Madhya Pradesh Police in Ratlam achieved a significant breakthrough in apprehending Firoz, also known as Sabji, a fugitive implicated in a conspiracy to execute serial blasts aimed at creating panic and terrorising the Rajasthan capital city of Jaipur.
Amit Shah & Akhilesh Yadav’s lighter exchange in LS over party president
Amid the uproar and heated debate between the ruling party and the Opposition over the Waqf Amendment Bill on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha witnessed some lighter moments between Home Minister Amit Shah and SP President Akhilesh Yadav.
Waqf Bill weakens Constitution, defames minorities, divides society: Gaurav Gogoi
As Parliament debated the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, on Wednesday, deputy leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi came down heavily on the government.
Bill not linked to religion, it’s prospective and not retrospective: Kiren Rijiju flays naysayers
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday tore into the Opposition for ‘spreading falsehood’ over the Waqf Amendment Bill and urged the ‘doubters and naysayers’ to refrain from misleading the people on the proposed reforms.
Parliament was being claimed as Waqf property: Rijiju slams UPA for making provisions 'overriding' other laws
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday bashed the previous UPA government for de-notifying 123 properties and handing them over to the Delhi Waqf Board.
Bhopal’s Muslims burst firecrackers in support of Waqf (Amendment) Bill
A large number of Muslims in Madhya Pradesh's capital, Bhopal, burst firecrackers on Wednesday to express their support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was presented in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day.