23 ASPs Transferred by UP Government

The Uttar Pradesh government, in a significant move to streamline police administration and bolster law and order across the state, has executed a large-scale transfer of 23 Additional Superintendents of Police (ASPs) and equivalent-rank officers. The official order, released by the state’s Home Department, signals a concerted effort to optimize policing structures and place experienced officers in strategically important roles.

This administrative overhaul, which includes both Provincial Police Service (PPS) officers promoted to ASP ranks and officers holding Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) designations in Commissionerates, is seen as a key step by the Yogi Adityanath-led government to maintain robust security and efficient governance ahead of major administrative cycles.

Key Appointments and Strategic Postings

The extensive list of transfers affects numerous districts and specialized police units, bringing fresh leadership to critical departments. The appointments appear to target areas requiring specialized attention or a change in policing strategy.

• Changes in Commissionerates: Several ADCPs from the state’s Commissionerates have been reassigned. For instance, Siddharth Verma, previously ASP (Traffic) in Saharanpur, has been moved to a sensitive post as ASP in Kushinagar. Similarly, Nripendra, formerly ASP East in Hardoi, has been appointed as an Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police within the bustling Varanasi Commissionerate.
• Focus on Specialized Units: The reshuffle places a notable emphasis on strengthening crucial state-level units. Sachidanand, who was an ADCP in Ghaziabad, has been transferred to the SSF (Special Security Force) Headquarters in Lucknow as an ASP. In another significant move, Sitaram, an ADCP from the Prayagraj Commissionerate, has been shifted to the Legal Cell at the Director General of Police (DGP) Headquarters in Lucknow.
• District-Level Leadership: The districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh have also seen substantial changes. Dinesh Kumar Puri, who was serving as ASP UP-112, is now the ASP South Gorakhpur. Other major district transfers include:
  • Sumit Shukla from Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) to ASP Shamli.
  • Subodh Gautam (formerly ASP Crime, Etawah) to ASP East Hardoi.
  • Ashok Kumar Singh-I from ASP Hathras to ASP City Bahraich.
• Amendments and Cancellations: The government also made notable adjustments to the initial list. The transfer of Santosh Kumar Singh II, who was originally slated to be the Additional SP (Security) in Gorakhpur, was cancelled. In his place, Santosh Kumar Singh I, who was in Shamli, has been posted to Gorakhpur. Furthermore, the posting of B.S. Veer Kumar was retained in Ghaziabad as Deputy Commandant of the 47th Battalion PAC, reportedly following a request.

Rationale Behind the Widespread Transfers

While such large-scale transfers are a common administrative practice in Uttar Pradesh to prevent complacency and infuse new energy into the system, they are primarily driven by the need for enhanced administrative efficiency and better management of the law and order situation.

1. Administrative Requirement: Routine transfers are essential to ensure officers do not develop entrenched interests in one location, promoting impartiality and dynamic governance.
2. Bolstering Key Regions: Placing officers in new districts, especially in the wake of performance reviews or specific requirements in high-priority areas like major cities and regional hubs (Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj), is a standard strategy to optimize local police operations.
3. Strengthening Specialized Wings: The new postings to units like the SSF and the DGP’s Legal Cell indicate a concerted effort to reinforce the police department’s specialized wings with fresh talent and diverse experience.

This mass reshuffle of Additional Superintendents of Police underscores the state government’s continuous commitment to a proactive administration, aimed at maintaining tighter control over the policing machinery and ensuring effective public service delivery across India’s most populous state.