KATHMANDU, March 13: A proposal to extend the tenure of two Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) of the Armed Police Force (APF) remains uncertain as the Ministry of Home Affairs has yet to make a decision ahead of their mandatory retirement next week.
DIGs Laxman Bahadur Singh and Pradeep Pal are set to retire on March 19, but the government has not finalized whether their tenure will be extended.
The APF Headquarters has already forwarded a proposal to the Home Ministry recommending a tenure extension for the two officers from the general group, following past practice.
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“We have sent the proposal for tenure extension as per the rules. The decision now rests with the government,” said APF spokesperson DIG Bishnu Prasad Bhatt.
According to a senior official at the Home Ministry, discussions have been held internally about presenting the proposal at the upcoming Cabinet meeting, but it has not yet been formally tabled.
Under the Armed Police Force Regulations, the tenure of a DIG is four years. Based on this provision, both Singh and Pal are due for mandatory retirement on March 19. However, the regulations also allow for a one-year extension, prompting the APF to recommend the move.
The final decision on whether to grant the extension will be made by the Council of Ministers. In the past, some DIGs have received extensions while others have not.
Previously, the tenure of Kamal Giri, Ganesh Thadamagar, Kul Prasad Nembang, and Shambhu Subedi had been extended. Among them, Thadamagar is currently serving as an Additional Inspector General (AIG), while the others have already retired.
Both Singh and Pal began their careers in the technical service of Nepal Police, joining on March 31, 1998 as technical sub-inspectors (computer operators). After the formation of the Armed Police Force, they transitioned to the new organization and rose through the ranks to become DIGs.
If their tenure is not extended, officers promoted to DIG from APF batch ‘Sin Sa 1’ (सिं स. १) may begin positioning themselves as potential contenders for future leadership roles within the force.
