'Make IPS Officer Sanjay Kumar Verma Verma’s Appointment As DGP Permanent': Congress

The Congress on Wednesday said the appointment of IPS officer Sanjay Kumar Verma as the state director general of police should be made permanent, and that Rashmi Shukla, whom he replaced, should be considered retired now that she has reached the age of 60.

The party took objection to the temporary appointment of Verma, a 1990 batch officer, as DGP, and wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI) asking it to intervene.

The ECI removed Shukla on Monday, days after the Congress alleged that the IPS officer had a “clear bias” against the opposition. Verma, who will retire in April 2028, was appointed the new DGP on Tuesday.

Objecting to the order, Atul Londhe, spokesperson of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), asked the state government to make Verma’s appointment permanent. “If the state fails to issue such an order within 24 hours, we will approach the Bombay High Court,” he said.

“The extension given to Rashmi Shukla was for the DGP’s post only. She has reached the age of retirement, i.e. 60. The moment she was removed from the post, she stood retired from the service,” Londhe said.

MPCC chief Nana Patole asked the ECI to prevail upon the state government to change the contravening order. The state misconstrued the ECI order and appointed the new DGP until the election programme is over, he said. He also objected to the decision to place Shukla on leave saying, “It neither aligns with the ECI order nor follows convention.”