Odisha DGP Khurania Meets CM Majhi Ahead Of Retirement
Khurania called on the Chief Minister two days before the end of his tenure as the state police chief: Reports
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania, who is due to retire on August 16, met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at Lok Seva Bhavan here on Friday, amid uncertainty over the appointment of his successor.
Khurania called on the Chief Minister two days before the end of his tenure as the state police chief. Chief Secretary Anu Garg and senior officials of the Chief Minister’s Office were also present during the meeting.
The meeting comes at a crucial juncture for the Odisha Police, with the process of selecting the next DGP caught up in a legal challenge before the Supreme Court.
The apex court on Thursday directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to defer the process of finalising its panel for the appointment of Odisha’s next police chief until August 18. It is scheduled to hear a public interest litigation challenging the process adopted by the state government in selecting candidates for the post.
The legal challenge has cast uncertainty over the timing of the appointment of Khurania’s successor. The state government had been preparing for a leadership change in the police force, but the Supreme Court’s intervention has put the selection process on hold until the next hearing.
Khurania, a 1990-batch IPS officer of the Odisha cadre, took charge as DGP on August 16, 2024. His tenure was subsequently extended until August 16, 2026, enabling him to complete the stipulated two-year tenure as the state’s police chief.
Before returning to his parent cadre, Khurania had served as Special Director General of the Border Security Force. The Union home ministry approved his premature repatriation to Odisha in August 2024 ahead of his appointment as DGP.
With his retirement now imminent, the state could face a temporary arrangement at the top of the police hierarchy if the Supreme Court does not clear the way for the selection of a new DGP on August 18.
The appointment assumes significance as the DGP heads the state police force and oversees law and order, crime prevention and investigation, and other major policing responsibilities across Odisha.
The Supreme Court proceedings on August 18 are therefore likely to determine the next course of action for the state government as it seeks to fill the top police post.
