The latest IPS cadre allocation is a case in the point when last month, the MHA issued the cadre allocation notification for 147 IPS officers. Six officers were allotted the Odisha cadre, interestingly none belonged to the state. Not a single insider candidate found a place in the state’s IPS allocation because none made it to the IPS list. The shortage of IPS officers is very stark. Against an authorised IPS strength of 195 officers, Odisha currently has only 132 officers in position, leaving 63 vacancies, among the highest in the country.

The leadership transition assumes added significance as the tenure of incumbent DGP Y B Khurania (IPS: 1990: OD) ends on August 16. Among the top contenders are Sudhansu Sarangi (IPS: 1990: OD), Susanta Kumar Nath (IPS: 1993: OD) and R P Koche (IPS: 1993: OD).