Key posts in internal security, paramilitary to fall vacant

Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Director General B D Sharma and Secretary (Internal Security) in the Union Home Ministry Ashok Prasad are retiring on January 31.

Since Prasad also holds the additional charge of the chief of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), this post will also fall vacant upon his retirement.

The 1979-batch Andhra Pradesh cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer is also holding the charge of the NATGRID in an additional capacity.

Similarly, the post of DG of the Bureau of Police Research and Development is also being held in an additional capacity by Special DG-rank IPS officer A R K Kini since December last year and the government is yet to announce the name of a regular incumbent for the organisation tasked with developing better facilities and protocols for policemen in the country.

CRPF Director General Prakash Mishra, Border Security Force chief D K Pathak, Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi and Railway Protection Force (RPF) DG R R Verma will retire on February 29.

"There will be about eight vacancies by the next month in some of the lead agencies working in the internal security and central policing and paramilitary domain under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The government is already working to create a panel of eligible officers for making fresh appointments," official sources said.

They said while it is expected that a few posts will be filled up by rejigging or elevating officers from among those who are already serving in central police organisations, some appointments could be made by bringing in officers from elsewhere.

"A meeting in this regard is scheduled to be held later this month in the MHA and immediate announcements for the SSB, NCB, NATGRID and Secretary (IS) could be made," they said.