Bhubaneswar, August 10: With uncertainty continuing over the selection of the next Director General of Police (DGP) in the State, two senior IPS officers of the 1994 batch - Sanjeeb Panda and Yeshwant Jethwa – have been promoted to the rank of Director General of Police (DGP).

The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) approved the elevation of the two top cops.

Sources said that the State will now forward a fresh panel of DGP probables - 1990‑batch Sudhanshu Sarangi (DG, Fire Services) and 1993‑batch officer R P Koche (Director, Intelligence), Sanjeeb Panda and Yeshwant Jethwa - to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for shortlisting three candidates for selection of the new DGP.

One existing DGP-rank officer - Sushant Nath - now serving as the DG (Prisons) may be left out of the UPSC consideration list. As a result, the three officers likely to be shortlisted by the UPSC are expected to include Sanjeeb Panda.

Although both officers belong to the 1994 batch, Panda is senior to Yeshwant Jethwa in the inter-se seniority list. Panda emerges as a frontrunner for the DGP’s post, after the UPSC Empanelment Committee which met on August 7 reportedly received adverse feedback against Nath.

Panda was earlier at number four in seniority. With Nath’s exit, Panda moves up to number three thereby giving him a strong shot at becoming DGP, even if it means superseding two seniors.

Incumbent DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania is set to retire on August 16 after completing his full two‑year tenure.

Once the UPSC finalises the three-name panel and send it the Odisha Government, the State Government has to selected one officer and issue a formal appointment order.

If a regular DGP is not appointed by August 16, the State Government may give the additional charge of the post to a DG-rank officer.