Vinaytosh Mishra Appointed Interim Odisha DGP Amid Supreme Court Stay

OdishaConnect — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 16:51:38 +0000

Senior IPS officer Vinaytosh Mishra, a 1993-batch officer, has been given additional charge as the interim Director General of Police (DGP) of Odisha.

Mishra, who is currently serving as the DG of the Crime Branch, will take charge of the Odisha Police after the tenure of incumbent DGP YB Khurania ends on August 16.

The interim arrangement has been approved by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and will remain in force until further orders.

The appointment comes amid a legal dispute over the selection of Odisha’s next regular DGP. On Thursday, the Supreme Court directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to keep the DGP selection process on hold until the next hearing, scheduled for August 18.

The court’s intervention followed a public interest litigation concerning the alleged violation of the Supreme Court’s earlier Prakash Singh guidelines governing the appointment of police chiefs.

Senior advocate P. Chidambaram, appearing in the matter, argued that some junior officers had allegedly been promoted and subsequently included in a revised panel prepared for the DGP selection.

Odisha Advocate General Pitambar Acharya, however, rejected the allegations and argued that there had been no violation of the rules.

The Supreme Court also questioned the maintainability of the PIL. Chief Justice Justice Surya Kant observed that no officer had approached the court with such a grievance. However, amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran said he believed that the Prakash Singh guidelines may have been violated.

Based on the submissions of the amicus curiae, the Supreme Court put the UPSC meeting on hold and fixed August 18 for the next hearing.

The controversy gained momentum after the Odisha Home Department initially submitted a panel containing the names of three DG-rank officers to the UPSC on August 7. A revised panel was subsequently submitted, reportedly containing 11 names.

Meanwhile, two ADG-rank officers, Sanjeeb Panda and Yashwant Jethwa, were promoted to the DG rank. Their inclusion in the revised panel has become a major point of contention in the case.

With the regular DGP selection process currently on hold, Vinaytosh Mishra will serve as the interim DGP of Odisha until further orders.

The post Vinaytosh Mishra Appointed Interim Odisha DGP Amid Supreme Court Stay appeared first on Odisha Connect.

Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania will retire from service on August 16, with the State Government formally approving his retirement. The Home Department has issued an official notification in this regard, paving the way for the appointment of a new police chief.

The selection process for the next DGP is set to gather pace, with a high-level meeting scheduled in New Delhi on August 7. The meeting, to be chaired by the UPSC Chairperson, will deliberate on the panel of officers forwarded by the Odisha Government for the top post.

Eleven IPS Officers in the Fray

The State Government has reportedly submitted a list of 11 senior IPS officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for consideration.

Based on seniority, the names attracting the most attention are:

Sudhanshu Sarangi, Director General, Fire Services
Sushant Nath, Director General of Prisons
R.P. Koche, Director, Intelligence

Apart from these three officers, the state has also recommended the names of:

Sanjeeb Panda (1994 batch)
Yashwant Jethwa (1994 batch)
Ritu Arora (1995 batch)
Soumendra Priyadarshi (1995 batch)
P.S. Ranpise (1995 batch)
Santosh Bala (1995 batch)
Arun Bothra (1996 batch)
Sunita Kakran (1996 batch)

Among them, Ritu Arora, P.S. Ranpise and Sunita Kakran are currently serving on central deputation.

Khurania’s Extended Tenure Ends

A 1990-batch IPS officer, Y.B. Khurania was originally due to retire from government service in March 2026 upon attaining the age of 60. However, he was granted an extension until August 16, 2026, to complete the prescribed two-year tenure as Director General of Police.

New DGP to Face Major Challenges

The incoming DGP will assume office at a crucial time, with several key responsibilities awaiting the state’s top police officer.

One of the biggest challenges will be ensuring peaceful conduct of the upcoming Panchayat and Urban Local Body (ULB) elections. Maintaining law and order, strengthening policing, and improving the government’s image on public safety are also expected to be among the new police chief’s top priorities.

The UPSC Selection Committee is expected to hold its first and final meeting on August 7 in New Delhi. The committee will shortlist three names, from which the Odisha Government will appoint the next Director General of Police.

UPSC DGP selection Archives - Odisha Connect

Vinaytosh Mishra Appointed Interim Odisha DGP Amid Supreme Court Stay

Odisha DGP Y.B. Khurania to Retire on August 16; Race Begins for Next State Police Chief

Eleven IPS Officers in the Fray

Khurania’s Extended Tenure Ends

New DGP to Face Major Challenges