SHILLONG: Suspense prevails over the extension of service of Meghalaya DGP Rajiv Mehta for three months as there was no final word from the Centre on Wednesday to the request of the state government in this regard.
Mehta (1981 batch IPS officer) is set to retire on Thursday and if there is no order from the Union Home Ministry, he has to give way for the next senior SK Jain, who is currently holding the post of Special DGP.
Jain (1984 batch), however, will be retiring after few months and the Meghalaya Police Act says that the next DGP should have the tenure of at least one year.
While the next senior IPS cadres of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, YC Modi (1984 batch) and PS Purohit (1985 batch) are currently on deputation to central government, the next in line Raghvendra Awasthi (1985 batch) is currently the Director General, Meghalaya Civil Defence and Home Guards.
SB Singh ( 1986 batch) , the additional DGP ( Law and Order), who has two years in service can emerge as the possible choice of the government for the post of next DGP if the stalemate persists.
It was in May that Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in May to extend the DGP’s services for three more months “in view of the continuity of anti-insurgency operations” in Garo Hills.
However, the state government will be in a dilemma if the extension notification does not come from the Centre by Thursday.
