In a significant administrative move, the Union Home Ministry has ordered the premature repatriation of senior IPS officer Shamsher Singh to his parent Gujarat cadre from the Border Security Force (BSF). The order, issued on January 2, 2026, directs his return "with immediate effect," just 11 months after he was sent on central deputation as an Additional Director General (ADG) with the BSF in January 2025.
A Vacancy at the Top and a New Seniority Order
This development follows closely on the heels of the retirement of Gujarat's Director General of Police (DGP) Vikas Sahay on December 31, 2025. Following Sahay's retirement, the state government had temporarily placed K Laxminarayan Rao, a 1992-batch IPS officer, in interim charge as the police chief.
With Singh's return, the seniority hierarchy within the Gujarat cadre undergoes a shift. Shamsher Singh, a 1991-batch officer who holds the rank of DGP in the state, will now become the seniormost IPS officer from the Gujarat cadre currently serving in the state. This positions him as a potential candidate for the vacant post of Head of Police Force (HoPF), Gujarat's top police position.
The Superannuation Timeline and Supreme Court Guidelines
A critical factor in the unfolding scenario is Singh's impending retirement. He is slated to superannuate on March 31, 2026, leaving him with approximately three months of service.
This short residual service period is crucial in light of a March 2019 Supreme Court ruling and subsequent UPSC guidelines revised in September 2023. The rules state that an officer must have a minimum residual service of six months from the date the DGP post falls vacant to be considered for the appointment. With the vacancy occurring on December 31, 2025, Singh's three-month window technically makes him eligible for consideration under this clause.
The UPSC's empanelment process for the HoPF post gives first preference to officers at Level-16 of the pay matrix (DGP rank). If none are available, it considers ADG-rank officers (Level-15) with substantial experience.
Administrative Reshuffle and Current Responsibilities
Even if Shamsher Singh is not appointed as the permanent DGP, his repatriation addresses a significant vacuum in senior-level postings within the Gujarat police administration. The interim DGP, K Laxminarayan Rao, currently shoulders multiple responsibilities, including his substantive role as chief of CID (Crime & Railways) and additional charges of Prison and Correctional Administration.
The state's other senior officers are also holding key positions:
- Gyanendra Singh Malik (1993 batch): Commissioner, Ahmedabad City Police.
- Neerja Gotru (1993 batch): Head of Police Recruitment Board.
- Raju Bhargava (1995 batch): DGP of Armed Units, Gujarat.
Furthermore, three officers from the 1996 batch were promoted to the DGP rank on January 1, 2026, and have been assigned to crucial posts in Vadodara, Rajkot, and as DGP (Law & Order).
Shamsher Singh's career profile includes being empanelled as ADG at the Centre in April 2020. In late 2023, while serving as DGP (Law and Order), he was also given the additional charge of the Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Attempts to reach him for comment on his repatriation were unsuccessful.
The Centre's decision has set the stage for a decisive phase in the appointment of Gujarat's next police chief, with the state government expected to initiate the formal process with the UPSC to fill the top post.
