SHILLONG, Dec 26: The state government has shortlisted the names of five IPS officers for appointment as the next Director-General of Police. They are Mukesh Agarwal, KV Singh Deo, L Ram Bishnoi, SN Singh and Idashisha Nongrang.
Except for Nongrang, all the IPS officers are currently serving with the Assam government.
Agarwal (1989 batch) is the Special DGP (Border), Deo (1989 batch) the Special DGP (Prosecution/BIEO), Bishnoi (1991 batch) the Additional DGP (T&AP) and Singh (1991 batch) the Special DGP.
Nongrang (1992 batch) the junior-most officer, was recently promoted as Special DGP, Meghalaya.
A senior official said there are eight senior IPS officers of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre who are eligible for appointment to the post of DGP. He added that the state government will forward the five names to the Union Public Service Commission.
The UPSC will recommend three of these names for the state government to choose.
A majority of the senior police officers reportedly want Nongrang to become the first woman DGP of Meghalaya.
Congress leader Process T Sawkmie on Sunday urged the state government to appoint Nongrang as the next DGP. “As the senior-most IPS officer currently serving in the state, she deserves it,” he said in a statement.
“RV Suchiang recently became the first Khasi woman to become the Chief Secretary of Meghalaya. It will be equally historic if Nongrang becomes the state’s first Khasi woman DGP,” he said.
Sawkmie said the state government should give preference to a local IPS officer who is likely to understand the ground situation better.
He cited the example of Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga who had urged the Centre to appoint a Chief Secretary with a “working knowledge of the Mizo language” as most of his ministers do not understand Hindi or English.
After the retirement of Lalnunmawia Chuaungo of the Gujarat cadre as the Chief Secretary, Zoramthanga had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking the appointment of Additional Chief Secretary JC Ramthanga.
“We need to take the cue from the Mizoram government in insisting on the appointment of Nongrang as the DGP,” Sawkmie said.
