West Bengal police chief Sidd Nath Gupta gets six-month extension

West Bengal police chief Sidd Nath Gupta, who was appointed to the post by the Election Commission (EC) when the Model Code of Conduct during the West Bengal elections, received a six-month extension in service on Tuesday.

On March 16, Gupta was appointed West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP). He was among the 483 police and administrative officials the EC had appointed to ensure the fair conduct of polls across the state. Though Gupta was set to retire on April 30 this year, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) gave him a six-month extension — his first, which was set to end this month. The ACC comprises Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the chairperson and Union home minister Amit Shah as a member.

After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the state, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari retained Gupta as the state’s DGP. He was set to retire on October 31.

Also Read | EC transferred 483 officials in Bengal vs 23 in other poll states

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for extension in service of Shri Sidd Nath Gupta, IPS (WB:1992), DGP and IGP, West Bengal for a period of 6 months beyond 31.10.2026 in relaxation of Rule 16(1) of AIS (DCRB Rules. 1958 in public interest,” an order issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Tuesday said.

Gupta, a 1992 batch IPS officer, had replaced the then regular DGP Peeyush Pandey. Former chief minister Mamata Banerjee's government had appointed Pandey as police chief on January 31 this year. HT reported on April 2 that, for fairness and neutrality, the poll body transferred 483 administration and police officials in Bengal after assembly elections were announced on March 15 — at least 21 times the number of transfers ordered during the same period across three other poll bound states: Assam, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

Also Read | Centre grants six-month extension to West Bengal DGP Siddh Nath Gupta

The government uploaded the order related to Gupta's extension on the website on Tuesday night. The order said the home ministry had sent the proposal to the ACC seeking Gupta’s extension on September 21.

OTHER APPOINTMENTS AWAITED

Meanwhile, the government is yet to announce the appointment of police chiefs in two CAPFs, along with likely changes in Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir. The Bihar police is currently headed by an officer holding additional charge after its regular chief, Vinay Kumar resigned last month.

Jammu and Kashmir’s police chief Nalin Prabhat, too, is completing two years since his appointment by the home ministry in August 2024. Prabhat joined as the chief on October 1, 2024 and will complete two years this month. To be sure, Prabhat’s appointment order two years ago said he would continue in the post until “further orders.” Prabhat's superannuation is scheduled for August 2028.

The director generals of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) are also retiring this month, which will create two vacancies for the top posts. Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and former Haryana police chief, Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor who was removed from the Haryana police and later appointed ITBP chief, is retiring along with RPF chief, Sonali Mishra on October 31, 2026.