In a rare procedural standoff, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has postponed a crucial Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting in Jharkhand due to objections over the inclusion of the state’s acting Director General of Police (DGP), Anurag Gupta (IPS: 1990: JH), as a committee member.
The DPC — responsible for promoting State Police Service officers to the Indian Police Service (IPS) cadre — is typically chaired by the state Chief Secretary and includes the Home Secretary and the DGP.
The meeting, scheduled to consider promotions for nine vacant IPS posts, was halted after the UPSC formally declined to accept Gupta’s presence.
Sources reveal that the UPSC communicated its position to the state government a day before the scheduled meeting.
Despite Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari (IAS: 1988: JH) and Home Secretary Vandana Dadel (IAS: 1996: JH) defending Gupta’s inclusion as a state decision, the UPSC held its ground.
The deferment has now stalled the long-awaited promotion process, leaving both the state police administration and eligible officers in uncertainty.
It has also reignited discussions over the appointment procedures for Jharkhand’s top police post.
As of now, a new date for the meeting has not been announced, prolonging the administrative deadlock and keeping career advancements for several officers on hold.