VIJAYAWADA: The suspense over the new Director General of Police (DGP) is all set to be over as Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will make an announcement in this regard on Saturday. Meanwhile, the arrangements to give a ceremonial farewell to DGP M Malakondaiah at the APSP 6th Battalion at Mangalagiri on Saturday were ready. The selection committee shortlisted five DG rank officials for the top job and submitted the report to the government on Friday. Now it’s for the Chief Minister Naidu to take a final call.
Based on the service and track record of the DG rank officials, the selection committee shortlisted the names of VSK Kaumudi, who is presently on Central deputation, Gautam Sawang, Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada, RP Thakur, DG of Anti-Corruption Bureau, Surendra Babu, APSRTC MD, and AR Anuradha, Principal Secretary, Home.
The government on Wednesday constituted the panel consisting of In-charge Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha, Special Chief Secretaries Manmohan Singh and D Sambasiva Rao and GAD (Political) Secretary N Srikanth. Chandrababu Naidu who was in Kakinada to take part in ‘Dharma Porata Deeksha’ was expected to take a decision on the appointment of new DGP late on Friday night or Saturday. It’s learnt that the Chief Minister is likely to pick either Sawang or Thakur for the coveted post keeping in view their track record.
The State government had appointed Malakondaiah as the DGP without constituting any selection panel. It also broke away from the tradition of sending a list containing the names of seven senior police officials to the UPSC so that the latter could shortlist three names for the State to pick one of them for the DGP post.