After keeping the post of Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) vacant for over five months, the selection committee, headed by the Home minister will meet on November 6 to appoint the head of the state police force. Currently, the seniormost IPS officer Lalrokhuma Pachau, of the 1977 batch - was on May 31 appointed as the DGP-CID and given additional charge as DG&IGP because of a pending case filed by former police chief Shankar M. Bidari, who had challenged the quashing of his appointment by the Central Administrative Tribunal and the High Court.
The selection committee, headed by the Home minister, includes the Law minister and Chief Secretary. Principal Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms is the convener of the committee, which, in all probability, will appoint Mr Pachau as the head of police force since he is not only the seniormost IPS officer, but also has an impeccable track record and has an additional benefit of a long tenure, which ends in 2015. Presently, there are five officers of DGP rank, including Mr Pachau. While Mr Rupak Kumar Dutta of 1981 batch has been sent on deputation to the Centre as Additional Director, Central Bureau of Investigation, Mr Sushant Mahapatra of 1979 batch is DGP, Training, Mr Omprakash (1981) is DGP, Home Guards, Fire & Emergency Services, and Mr B. Umapathi, also of 1981 batch, is DGP, Police Restructuring.