By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Security Commission has shortlisted the names of five senior police officials for the post of the next police chief during its meeting held here on Thursday.
The meeting was necessitated as the present DGP N Ramachandran is retiring on October 31.
The Commission also decided not to extend the tenure of Ramachandran as he was not keen on an extension.
An official source said that the shortlisted officers are DG (Prisons) Kulbir Krishan (1976 batch), Director General of Home Guards from Assam, Subhash Goswami and Meghalaya Director General of Civil Defense and Home Guards, Prem Singh (both 1977 batch), B Kezo, DG (Prisons), Nagaland (1978 batch) and DK Pathak, ADG training, CRPF posted in Delhi (1979 batch).
Though Prem Singh had indicated his desire not to be named in the list of shortlisted candidates, the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma rejected this as no official letter has come from Singh.
It was only the officials present in the meeting who conveyed Singh’s wish to the Commission during the meeting, sources added.
The Commission also did not consider the name of PJP Haneman (1979 batch) as one of the candidates as no members raised his candidature, an official said.
Moreover, since five police officials had already been empanelled as per their seniority, there was no room for a sixth name, the official said.
There were reports in the past that Haneman might not be considered for the top post as his brother Charles Pyngrope is contesting the upcoming Assembly elections and there might be a possibility of the Election Commission of India raising objections if he is appointed.
Besides the Chief Minister, others who were present in the meeting included Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh, Chief Secretary WMS Pariat, DGP N Ramachandran and advocate VGK Kynta among others.
Opposition Leader Conrad K Sangma and retired bureaucrat PJ Bazeley did not attend the meeting.
With the short listing of candidates over, the Security Commission’s task is over and the Government will soon notify a name from among the five to be appointed as the next DGP.