The Election Commission on Monday appointed Ajay Kumar Singh, the senior-most IPS officer from the Jharkhand cadre, as the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) ahead of the 2024 assembly elections.
Singh, a 1989-batch IPS officer, was chosen from a panel of three candidates submitted by the state government
The Election Commission had earlier directed the Jharkhand government to remove acting DGP Anurag Gupta with immediate effect. According to the media reports, the Election Commission's order came following allegations of irregularities during the 2019 elections.
Read Also | EC Orders Removal of Acting DGP with Immediate Effect Ahead of Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024
Singh previously held the position of MD-cum-DG of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Police Housing. Throughout his career, he has served in multiple capacities, including stints in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Special Branch, and Railways. Singh also held district SP positions in places like Hazaribagh and Dhanbad.
With a 32-year career in policing, Singh has served in several cities across Bihar and Jharkhand, including Muzaffarpur, Lakhisarai, Purnia, and Munger. His first posting was as an ASP in Ramgarh district in 1991.
Elections for the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly are scheduled to take place in two phases on November 13 and 20. Vote counting will be conducted on November 23.
(With inputs from agencies)