Seven States, Seven DGPs Under Fire

The corridors of power are trembling. After decades of playing fast and loose with top police appointments, state governments now face a harsh reality: the Supreme Court has drawn a line in the sand, and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is sharpening its enforcement tools.

The apex court's recent verdict isn't just legal language—it's a ultimatum. Comply with the Prakash Singh judgment on DGP appointments, or face direct legal consequences. The message is crystal clear: the era of ad-hoc appointments, political patronage, and institutional manipulation is ending.  However, what happens when unstoppable political interests converge and diverge in this shifting process from ad-hocism to permanency?

Punjab: The Three-Year Interim DGP

Gaurav Yadav has been Punjab's interim DGP for three long years—a position that was supposed to be temporary. Now, with his eye on a central DG position and the UPSC wielding new enforcement powers, his time may be up. His natural successor, Harpreet Singh Sidhu, retires in May 2027, meaning any change now would trigger a cascading reshuffle across Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Central Police Organizations (CPO). "One appointment decision in Punjab could reshape police leadership across the state-centre power spectrum", a top source said

Tamil Nadu: Strategic Delays and Electoral Calculations

Here's where politics gets messy. Tamil Nadu has a UPSC-approved panel sitting on the table—yet no full DGP appointment. The reason perhaps is electoral calculations. Electoral arithmetic- With upcoming elections looming, the state's political leadership is playing a dangerous waiting game, hoping to time the appointment for maximum political advantage. But the Supreme Court's patience has limits, and the UPSC's new mandate means this calculated delay could backfire spectacularly, a top source said.

West Bengal & Jharkhand: The Domino States

These states are watching Tamil Nadu's gamble closely, knowing they're next in the UPSC's crosshairs. The same pattern emerges: interim appointments, political calculations, and the hope that legal requirements can be indefinitely postponed.

Gujarat: Where State Politics Meet Central Power

Gujarat presents a unique complexity—the Centre's influence is unmistakable. Political deadlock isn't just affecting one appointment; it's rippling through the entire network of Gujarat cadre IPS officers in both state and central positions. Change the DGP, and you potentially reshape a dozen other high-level postings, a top source said The interconnected nature of these appointments means every decision has consequences far beyond state boundaries, a top source said.

The Crises States: UP and Telangana

The cases of Uttar Pradesh and Telangana are serious ones in which the rules were deliberately overlooked for political adjustments. Telangana hasn't had a full DGP for almost for decades, while Uttar Pradesh hasn't had one for four years.  These aren't oversight—they're deliberate political strategies. Both states have systematically avoided permanent appointments to maintain maximum flexibility in their police leadership. But flexibility comes at a cost: institutional integrity, operational effectiveness, and now, potential legal consequences. One top source said that states like Uttar Pradesh and Telangana may seek and explore regularization possibilities which is quite high in their case to avoid any sudden shift or change in their leaderships.

The transition from adhocism to permanency was never going to be smooth—politically or administratively. But the Supreme Court has essentially issued an ultimatum with a ticking clock. The fate of multiple DGPs may be hanging in the balance, but what's really at stake is much larger: the principle that institutions matter more than individual political convenience.