Will Sivanandan get an extension?

The State home department has put on hold a number of senior level postings in the police force till the government decides on whether to give an extension to incumbent state Director General of Police D Sivanandan who officially retires on February 28, 2011. Posts of Director of Anti- Corruption Bureau, Thane Police Commissioner, Director of Police Welfare and Housing are lying vacant.

The senior most police officer in these three establishments is holding additional charge. Additional Director General of Police (ACB), K Subramanyam is officiating as ACB Director following Hasan Gafoor's retirement on December 31, 2010 and Thane's Joint Commissioner of Police Vinod Lokhande is officiating as Police Commissioner since S P S adav attained superannuation on January 31, 2011.

Highly reliable sources in the state Home Department revealed that since the government needs to take a final decision on Sivanandan's extension, all promotions at the level of DGP and Additional DGP will be put on hold till the end of the month.

In the event of the government deciding against giving an extension to Sivanandan, there will be a major reshuffle in the state police. Senior Indian Police Service officers are holding their breath till the government decides on the extension and accordingly post officers in posts lying vacant by March 1, 2011.

" The government is undecided on Sivanandan's extension and till then has put on hold filling up of vacant crucial posts at the senior most levels. There are a score of aspirants waiting in the lines to be appointed as Mumbai and Thane's Commissioners of Police, if government decides not to give Sivanandan a 3- month extension. Indian Police Service Officers of the 1979, 1980 and 1991 batches are all in the race for the two most sought posts of Mumbai police and Thane police chiefs.

The state government had decided on appointing Subramanyam, who is Sivanandan's batchmate as ACB Director.

However, if the government decides to extend Sivanandan's tenure till May 31 2011, his other batch mate A V Parasnis who is currently Director General of Home Guards and Civil Defence, may miss a chance to be the state police chief since he attains superannuation on June 30, 2011. Interestingly, even though state Home Minister R R Patil had recently issued a warning to all police officers in the state to avoid lobbying and bringing political pressure on the home department, some officers have failed to heed to Patil's warning," said a home department officer.