It's official now. Director General of Police of Odisha Sunil Kumar Bansal will retire on December 31, 2023 after completion of his two-year tenure. It was widely speculated that he may get extension till 2024 Lok Sabha elections. But the state government has issued notification of his retirement.
Had he not been appointed DGP, which has a Dixie's tenure of minimum two years, he would have been retired in June 2022. He served a year and half more than stipulated period on virtue of being DGP.
“Shri Sunil Kumar Bansal, IPS (RR-1987), D.G. of Police, (HoPF), Odisha is allowed to retire from Government service with effect from 31.12.2023 afternoon on completion of his two years tenure as DGP (HoPF), Odisha,” the notifications read.
A native of Jaipur
Bansal is a native of Jaipur, Rajasthan. He has had more than 36 years of service. Out of which he spent 27 years on central deputation, mostly in Intelligence Bureau where he served as special director. He left Odisha on central deputation in 1994 and repatriated in 2021 only to become DGP.
A commerce graduate, Bansal, was a Chartered Accountant before he opted for a career in law enforcement. He also holds a degree in law and post graduate degree in Philosophy.
Who will be the new chief?
Following the retirement notification, race began among senior IPS officers to get the topmost post in the police department.
Senior police officers including Arun Ray (1988 batch), A M Prasad (1989 batch) Y. B. Khurania (1990 batch) B Radhika (1989 batch), Sudhanshu Sarangi (1990 batch) and Arun Sarangi (1990 batch) are in the race for the post.
As per norms, the State Government will send a list of senior IPS officers with about 25 years of service and at least six months left to retirement, to the UPSC. The Commission will shortlist three top cops from the list and recommend the state government to pick one from those officers for the DGP post.
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