Wed Apr 09 19:56:36 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Police Chief’s Potential Extension Sparks Debate

**Bengaluru, April 10, 2025** – The future of Karnataka’s Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP), Alok Mohan, is uncertain as his scheduled retirement on April 30th approaches. While he is set to reach the mandatory retirement age of 60 on April 18th, speculation abounds regarding a possible extension until August 5th, 2026, granting him a two-year tenure as per Supreme Court guidelines established in the Prakash Singh case.

Mr. Mohan’s appointment to the post was on August 5th, 2023. The possibility of an extension is fueled by his upcoming May meetings, including a performance review of district Superintendents of Police. While no official orders have been issued, sources suggest the extension is considered “deemed,” negating the need for formal approval from the Union government.

This interpretation stems from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s March 26th statement in the Karnataka Legislature. Responding to a question about Mr. Mohan’s omission from a list of retiring officers, the Chief Minister cited the Prakash Singh judgement mandating a minimum two-year tenure for the Head of Police Force.

However, a 2012 Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill stipulated a minimum two-year tenure “subject to superannuation,” creating ambiguity. Furthermore, the state government’s 2019-20 affidavit to the Supreme Court pledged adherence to the Prakash Singh guidelines. Previous DG&IGPs, Neelmani N. Raju and Praveen Sood, served over two years before retirement, avoiding this issue. Mr. Mohan’s impending retirement before reaching the two-year mark has brought this matter to the forefront for the first time. The debate continues regarding the necessity of a formal order and whether the Union government’s approval is required.

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