Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has extended the tenure of Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) Alok Mohan by 21 days, ending the uncertainty around the state’s top police post. Originally set to retire on April 30, Mohan will now serve until May 21 to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s mandate for a fixed two-year term.
Appointed on May 22, 2023, Mohan’s extended tenure aligns with the Prakash Singh vs Union of India judgment, which requires state police chiefs to be selected from the three seniormost IPS officers recommended by the UPSC and mandates a minimum two-year tenure regardless of retirement age. “This represents a shift from political discretion to rule-based appointments,” said a senior official from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Previously, the state government had the liberty to determine the DG&IGP’s tenure, but this has now changed, similar to the appointment model used for the CBI director. The Supreme Court emphasized selection based on seniority, clean service records, and relevant experience.
Meanwhile, the process to appoint Mohan’s successor is underway. The Chief Minister has forwarded five names to the UPSC:
- Prashant Kumar Thakur, known for his clean image and strong bureaucratic connections,
- M Saleem, an efficient traffic enforcer in Bengaluru,
- Ramachandra Rao, under scrutiny after his daughter’s gold smuggling case,
- P K Mohanty, and
- Alok Kumar, recognized for using technology to reduce highway accidents.
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