Inside Raisina Hill: CAT Pulls Up MP Government, UPSC Receives Panel Of IPS Officers

As one walks down the Hill along the Rajpath, now renamed Kartavya Path, come other edifices — Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Shashtri Bhavan, and Kartavya Bhavan on one side and Sena Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, and Vanijya Bhavan on the other. The bureaucrats who adorn the offices in these buildings decide on India's economic, social, and industrial policies. There are many tales to be told from the corridors of these grandiose buildings. We let you in on some of them here in this week's edition of "Inside Raisina Hill".

UPSC Receives Panel Of IPS Officers From Odisha Government

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has received a list of senior state-cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from the Odisha government for the appointment of the next Director General of Police (DGP).   

The list of officers includes Sudhanshu Sarangi, an IPS officer of the 1990 batch; Susanta Kumar Nath, a 1993-batch IPS officer; and his batchmate R.P. Koche. The state government has submitted the panel of officers to the UPSC for empanelment.

According to officials, the UPSC is likely to convene the Empanelment Committee to assess the officers by the end of this month or early next month.

Following the UPSC’s recommendation, the state government will then appoint the new DGP. Incumbent Y.B. Khurania, an IPS officer of the 1990 batch, will complete his tenure on August 16, 2026. The transition ensures continuity in leadership at the Odisha police headquarters. 

Bengal Government Directed To Give NOC To IPS Officer For Cadre Change

The Principal Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has directed the West Bengal government to grant a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Mane Swapnil Tukaram, an IPS officer of the 2022 batch, for the change of his cadre from West Bengal to Karnataka. The cadre change is on the grounds of his marriage to Shaloo, an IPS officer of the Karnataka cadre (2021 batch).

The Karnataka cadre had already granted and conveyed its NOC for the proposed inter-cadre transfer of the applicant officer. However, despite repeated representations, the West Bengal government has neither granted NOC nor communicated any decision, leading to an undue delay. According to the representation given by the applicant officer in the CAT, he said he had sent reminder emails on May 12, 2025, June 16, 2025, and June 30, 2025, to the West Bengal government.

Following the hearings, the CAT ruled that the West Bengal government’s failure to grant NOC to the applicant would now be considered as NOC deemed to have been issued; and the competent authority has been directed to take immediate action for cadre transfer by passing the necessary orders within a time-bound manner.

After the cadre transfer is ordered, the West Bengal government is also directed to relieve the officer to enable him to join the Karnataka cadre within the time frame.

CAT Pulls Up MP Government Over Delay In IPS Induction

The CAT has pulled up the Madhya Pradesh government over delays in IPS induction process, raising serious concerns about administrative lapses.

The observations came during the hearing of a petition filed by three 1998-batch State Police Service (SPS) officers, who were excluded from consideration for induction into the IPS. The petitioners before the CAT argued that they lost the opportunity to be inducted into the IPS after crossing the upper age limit of 56 years. They attributed this to a prolonged delay in conducting the mandatory cadre review.

According to the rules, cadre reviews are to be conducted every five years. However, the review, which was due in 2018, was conducted only in 2022, leading to a delay of four years.

By the time the process was completed, the officers had crossed the age threshold, rendering them ineligible despite meeting all other criteria. Notably, the officers have completed between 26 and 27 years of service.

The CAT questioned the functioning of both the state and the Central government in the matter and issued notices to them seeking responses. In the meantime, it granted interim relief to the petitioners and directed that the status quo be maintained until further orders.

No Suitable Candidate Yet For Post Of IOL CMD

The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) on April 22, 2026, held a selection interview for the post of Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), India Optel Limited (IOL). The incumbent CMD, Tushar Tripathi, will superannuate on May 31, 2026.

The selection board found none of the 10 candidates suitable for the post and advised the Department of Defence Production and the Ministry of Defence to choose an appropriate course of further action for selection, including the Search-cum-Selection-Committee (SCSC), or as deemed appropriate with the approval of the competent authority.

Prominent among those who have been interviewed were Sharmishtha Koul Sharma, Director (HR), IOL; Dharmendra Kumar Madan, OSD, Heavy Vehicles Factory (AVNL); Ajay Kumar Yerpude, Executive Director, Indian Ordnance Factories Service; and Anil Kumar Gupta, Chief General Manager, Department of Defence Production.