Karnataka - Bangalore

Bangalore to have woman police commissioner?

K.V. Subramanya

Jija Harisingh, who has served in the city, is among frontrunners

BANGALORE: Will Bangalore get its first woman police commissioner? This is the question being asked in police circles as the Commissioner of Police, S. Mariswamy, is to be promoted as Director-General of Police (DGP) by May-end.

Although the vacancy will be created only after Mr. Mariswamy's elevation, the race for the top post has begun, according to sources in the State police.

The post of Police Commissioner is of the rank of the Additional-Director-General of Police (ADGP) and the names of at least five officials in that rank are being mentioned for the post. Eleven IPS officers are of the ADGP rank. According to the sources, the ADGP (Training and Recruitment), Ajai Kumar Singh; the Managing Director, Mysore Minerals Ltd., Jija Harisingh; the ADGP (Law and Order), Subash Bharani; the ADGP (Intelligence), D.V. Guruprasad; and the ADGP (Crime and Technical Services), M.K. Srivastava, are among the frontrunners.

Many considerations

Apart from individual merit and seniority, political and caste considerations are likely to play a role in the posting, the sources said.

The city will get its first woman police commissioner if Ms. Jija Harisingh, who earlier worked in the city as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), makes it to the post.

Two ADGPs, who earlier served in Gulbarga district in different capacities, reportedly "enjoy the confidence" of the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, and it will not be a surprise if one of them is picked for the job, the sources said.

The sources are of the view that the chances of another official belonging to Mr. Mariswamy's caste succeeding him are "bleak."

While Mr. Bharani and Dr. Singh are from the Scheduled Castes, Dr. Guruprasad is a Brahmin. Ms. Jija Harisingh and Mr. Srivastava are members of Thiya and Kayastha communities.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu