Kolkata, 07 October (H.S.) : The central government has approved a six-month extension in service for West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Siddhinath Gupta, ensuring he remains at the helm of the state police force until April next year. Gupta was scheduled to retire on October 31, but the Centre formally communicated the extension order to the state secretariat, Nabanna, ahead of the deadline.

A 1992-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Gupta was appointed as the state police chief by the Election Commission of India shortly after the announcement of the recent elections, replacing Piyush Pandey. Originally slated to superannuate on April 30, he was granted his first six-month extension by the Ministry of Home Affairs owing to the ongoing electoral process at the time.

According to a notification issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), the latest decision was based on a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ACC stated that the extension was approved in the public interest under the provisions of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958.

Gupta’s impending retirement had recently fueled administrative speculation regarding the appointment of a new DGP. Following standard protocol, the Centre had requested a panel of prospective candidates from the state government, prompting Nabanna to forward the names of several senior IPS officers to New Delhi. However, the Centre ultimately decided to retain Gupta in the top law enforcement post for an additional six months.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh